SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — An absconded registered sex offender from North Carolina was apprehended Thursday in a Spartanburg County home.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office arrested Brian Thomas Griffin at the 700 block of Lyman Road in Inman. Griffin was convicted of incest and first-degree rape and assault on a child in Union County, North Carolina.
An investigation was initiated Oct. 27 when the sheriff’s office was contacted by the Anson County, N.C., Sheriff’s Office in regards to Griffin’s whereabouts in Spartanburg County.
The agency said Griffin had four outstanding warrants in North Carolina including one for stealing approximately 65 guns.
The sheriff’s office provided a list of associates to authorities including Griffin’s girlfriend, Tasha Nicole Lancaster. Investigators were able to determine the residence on Lyman Road as a potential address.
On Tuesday, Anson County deputies sent a copy of a phone trace conducted by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigations. The trace showed Griffin’s phone was shown at the Inman address.
On Thursday, deputies located Griffin at the residence on Lyman Road. Deputies reported that when they entered the home they were “overwhelmed by the odor of feces and urine.”
The incident report stated that dogs were in cages and feces was found in every room along with trash strewn throughout the house.
Several loaded firearms were found, which were accessible to a juvenile in the house. Deputies were able to recover 10 firearms that were allegedly reported stolen from Griffin.
Deputies discovered that Griffin moved to Spartanburg County in April without notifying or registering as a sex offender with the agency within three business days.
Griffin was charged with fugitive from justice from North Carolina for a sex offender registry violation and another sex offender registry violation from Spartanburg County.
Both Griffin and Lancaster were charged with unlawful conduct towards a child who was placed in DSS custody for the conditions of the residence.
Lancaster was later released on bond. Griffin remains incarcerated at the Spartanburg County Detention Center.
