The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division this week arrested a former Travelers Rest police officer for allegedly forcing a woman to perform oral sex and other sexual acts on him while on duty.

Gerard James Hildebrandt, 42, is accused of taking a woman to an isolated spot on the campus of Travelers Rest High School in July 2022, when he forced her to service him, according to WSPA..

Travelers Rest Police Chief Benjamin Ford said Hildebrandt was fired on July 3, when the victim reported the incident to police, WYFF reported.

“We do not tolerate this type of behavior,” he said, according to WSPA.

Ford told WYFF that the incident happened at about midnight, and the victim reported the crime at 4 p.m. the following afternoon. Hildebrandt was out of a job by 9 p.m., he said.

While SLED said the charges were based on body camera footage, physical evidence, and the victim’s statements, they did not explain why it took more than nine months to bring charges.

Ford said Hildebrandt had worked for the Travelers Rest department for less than a year at the time of the incident and had previously worked with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

He also said the body camera footage SLED mentioned was recorded during an interview and not the incident.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office told WYFF that Hildebrandt was fired from that department but did not provide details. Ford said there were no “red flags” in Hildebrandt’s records.

Greenville County Schools said the victim was not associated with the school and that the incident took place outside school hours, WSPA reported.

Hildebrandt has been charged with criminal sexual conduct and misconduct in office.

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[Featured image: Gerard James Hildebrandt/Greenville County Detention Center]