Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Seneca Man on Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct Charge

Ronnie Joe Patterson, Jr.

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Seneca man was arrested Sunday morning on a charge of Assault to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct – 2nd Degree.

46 year old Ronnie Joe Patterson, Jr., of Curtis Drive, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 7:38am yesterday.  Patterson, Jr., who is on the Sex Offender Registry, was also served with an outstanding General Sessions Bench Warrant for a Sex Offender Registry Violation – 2nd Offense.

Patterson, Jr. was given a $100,000 surety bond on the Sheriff’s Office charge.  Patterson, Jr. will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device, as a condition of bond, should he be released from jail. 

A Deputy from the Uniform Patrol Bureau responded to the Curtis Drive address on April 7th of this year in reference to a report of a sexual assault.  The Deputy spoke with a family member of the victim, who is the only victim in this case. 

According to evidence that was obtained during the investigation, the Deputy was told that Patterson, Jr. had touched the victim’s inner thigh in late 2024.  The victim, who was a child at the time of the incident, and the victim’s family live in a trailer on the property while Patterson, Jr. lived in a camper on the property itself.  Patterson, Jr. was allowed by the owner to be inside of the trailer for the purposes of taking a shower, according to information obtained during the investigation.

Based upon evidence that was obtained during the investigation, it was determined that Patterson, Jr. placed his hand on the inner thigh of the victim, without the victim’s consent, while attempting to move his hand toward the victim’s private parts, according to the arrest warrant. 

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.  In order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, and that of the minor victim, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office will not release any information that could, either directly or indirectly, identify the victim in this investigation.