Man pleads guilty to child sex crimes after kids found walking along highway, trying to escape

ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) — A South Carolina man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old on numerous occasions.

Austin J. Cole, 35, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Cole is not eligible for parole. He also must register as a sex offender.

Officials said Cole’s estranged wife moved her children into his home in late 2023. He sexually assaulted an 11-year-old during this time.

The investigation began when the victim and the victim’s siblings escaped the home and were found walking along a highway in February 2024.

The children told officers they were attempting to walk to their mother’s house in Georgia to escape Cole’s sexual abuse.

Officials said a photo of Cole engaging in sexual acts with the victim was also found on his phone.