From http://www.goupstate.com, October 31, 2011 By Jenny Arnold
In light of an attempted rape of a woman at Milliken Park on Sunday, Sheriff Chuck Wright encouraged women to get concealed weapons permits.
Sheriff Chuck Wright shows the media a mug shot of Walter Monroe Lance is at the Sheriff’s Department after a hearing at the Spartanburg County jail on Monday. Photo by GERRY PATE of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal newspaper.
Wright suggested a .45-caliber weapon, because “you don’t have to be accurate, you just have to be close” to a target, and displayed a fanny pack at a news conference that women could carry a concealed handgun while out jogging.
To apply for a concealed weapons permit from the State Law Enforcement Division: a person must be 21 years old and not be prohibited from owning a weapon, provide photo identification and proof of residency; submit a valid driver’s license or proof of actual or corrected vision rated at 20/40 within six months of the application; pay a $50 fee; be fingerprinted; undergo a SLED criminal background check; submit proof of training by completing a basic or advanced handgun education course offered by a state, county or municipal law enforcement agency or a nationally recognized organization that promotes gun safety.
The course must be a minimum of eight hours and must include information on gun laws and the use of deadly force, handgun safety, proper handgun storage and the actual firing of the handgun in the presence of the instructor.
Walter Monroe Lance, 46, of 14 Front St., Spartanburg, was charged Monday by the sheriff’s office with kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and grand larceny in connection with the assault on a woman at Milliken Park.
Wright said Lance was fortunate someone with a concealed weapons permit didn’t hear the victim’s screams Sunday and put the “animal” down, referring to Lance.
“That would have fixed this,” Wright said. “Ladies, walk in groups. Get a concealed weapons permit. I don’t want you to go for the mace; I want you to go for the concealed weapons permit. Gun control to me is when you can get your barrel back on the target quick.”
“That would have fixed this,” Wright said. “Ladies, walk in groups. Get a concealed weapons permit. I don’t want you to go for the mace; I want you to go for the concealed weapons permit. Gun control to me is when you can get your barrel back on the target quick.”
Call SLED at 803-896-7015 with questions about the state’s concealed weapons permit laws or visit www.sled.sc.gov.
Spartanburg Man Arrested in Rape Attempt has Lengthy Criminal Record, According to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Files
From http://www.goupstate.com, October 31, 2011 By Jenny Arnold
Sheriff Chuck Wright said he was “aggravated” that a man with a lengthy criminal record was not in prison for past crimes and is now accused of trying to rape a woman at Milliken Park on Sunday.
Walter Monroe Lance, 46, of 14 Front St., Spartanburg, was charged Monday by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office with kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and grand larceny in connection with the park assault.
Walter Monroe Lance
But as Wright pointed out during a news conference Monday, it isn’t Lance’s first brush with the law or the first time he’s been charged with criminal sexual conduct.
In 2009, Lance was charged by the sheriff’s office with second-degree criminal sexual conduct. But the victim did not cooperate with authorities, 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office spokesman Murray Glenn said.
The case was resolved with Lance pleading guilty to prostitution third or subsequent offense, Glenn said. Lance received time served, meaning the time he had already spent in jail after his arrest on the charge satisfied the sentence handed down by the judge.
According to a criminal history provided by the State Law Enforcement Division, Lance’s criminal background as an adult goes back to 1983, when he was charged in Spartanburg County with car-breaking, larceny and store-breaking. He was sentenced under the state’s Youthful Offender Act and sentenced to probation.
In 1984, Lance was charged with grand larceny and he began a prison sentence at Perry Correctional Institution in September 1984.
Little more than a year later, Lance had been released, and was charged in October 1985 with pointing a firearm.
In 1986, there were arrests and convictions for driving under the influence and violation of the state’s pistol law.
His probation was revoked and he served more time at Perry with a sentencing beginning Aug. 1, 1986, according to the SLED record.
In December 1987, Lance was charged with assault and battery, followed by arrests for car breaking and grand larceny in 1988. He was sentenced to five years at Perry and five years probation and began the sentence on Jan. 11, 1989.
By February 1992, Lance had been released from prison. During that year, he was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, driving under suspension, possession of a pistol by a convicted felon (which was later dismissed), aggravated assault and battery and criminal domestic violence.
He went to court on various charges that year, and began a seven-year sentence at Perry.
According to the criminal history, Lance was released by 1997, was convicted of criminal domestic violence and paid a $425 fine. In 1998, there were charges for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and simple assault. He was found not guilty of simple assault.
Also in 1998, Lance was charged with unlawful use of telephone, which was dropped in court. He was charged again in September 1999 with criminal domestic violence third or subsequent offense and resisting arrest and convicted.
There are no new offenses according to the SLED record until 2009, when he was charged with an open container violation and later that year with the second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge that was later resolved with the guilty plea to prostitution.
Lance recently served federal prison time, 14 months, on a gun charge, Wright said during Monday’s news conference.
“Liberals call me and tell me the chain-gang form of justice isn’t working,” Wright said. “Well, let me inform you, your form of justice isn’t working either.”
In 1986, there were arrests and convictions for driving under the influence and violation of the state’s pistol law.
His probation was revoked and he served more time at Perry with a sentencing beginning Aug. 1, 1986, according to the SLED record.
In December 1987, Lance was charged with assault and battery, followed by arrests for car breaking and grand larceny in 1988. He was sentenced to five years at Perry and five years probation and began the sentence on Jan. 11, 1989.
By February 1992, Lance had been released from prison. During that year, he was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, driving under suspension, possession of a pistol by a convicted felon (which was later dismissed), aggravated assault and battery and criminal domestic violence.
He went to court on various charges that year, and began a seven-year sentence at Perry.
According to the criminal history, Lance was released by 1997, was convicted of criminal domestic violence and paid a $425 fine. In 1998, there were charges for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and simple assault. He was found not guilty of simple assault.
Also in 1998, Lance was charged with unlawful use of telephone, which was dropped in court. He was charged again in September 1999 with criminal domestic violence third or subsequent offense and resisting arrest and convicted.
There are no new offenses according to the SLED record until 2009, when he was charged with an open container violation and later that year with the second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge that was later resolved with the guilty plea to prostitution.
Lance recently served federal prison time, 14 months, on a gun charge, Wright said during Monday’s news conference.
“Liberals call me and tell me the chain-gang form of justice isn’t working,” Wright said. “Well, let me inform you, your form of justice isn’t working either.”
Lance recently served federal prison time, 14 months, on a gun charge, Wright said during Monday’s news conference.
“Liberals call me and tell me the chain-gang form of justice isn’t working,” Wright said. “Well, let me inform you, your form of justice isn’t working either.”
The East Charlotte Area Patrol 