# South Carolina: Police officer offered woman cigar in exchange for sexual act, warrant says

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**Updated: 1:23 PM EDT Mar 12, 2025**





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### The incident

A police officer in South Carolina is accused of offering a woman whom he arrested a cigar in exchange for a sex act and touching her private parts. Caleb Oshia Hickmon-Payne is charged with second-degree assault and battery and misconduct in office. An arrest warrant said Hickmon-Payne, who was an officer with the Columbia Police Department, arrested a woman on Feb. 1.

It said he made sexually explicit comments to the woman after she was arrested. It also said he propositioned her with a tobacco product in exchange for a sex act.

According to the warrant, on the way to the detention center, Hickmon-Payne stopped at a gas station and bought a cigar, lighter, and sports drink.

From there, he drove to the Columbia Industrial Park and stopped in a secluded location, the warrant said. While there, the warrant said Hickmon-Payne touched the woman's breast and buttocks outside of her clothes while she was handcuffed.

The woman told authorities that Hickmon-Payne was significantly larger than her, which caused her fear. The warrant said Hickmon-Payne made efforts to avoid activating and intentionally deactivated his in-car and body-worn cameras.

Hickmon-Payne was arrested on Wednesday and booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County.

Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook posted the following message about the arrest on Facebook:

"It is with great disappointment and disgust, that I must inform you of the arrest of former Columbia Police Officer Caleb Hickmon-Payne by SLED for Assault 2nd and Misconduct in Office (common law). This is the result of an Internal Affairs investigation that began on Feb. 5, 2025, following a complaint/allegation by a female who had been arrested by a CPD Officer; and a subsequent independent criminal investigation conducted by SLED. The female alleged that she had been propositioned by the officer for sexual favors.

"I apologize that this happened on my 'watch.' I can assure you this does not represent the outstanding men and women that make up the rank and file of our department. We are a department that demonstrates professionalism, accountability, fairness, impartial and constitutional policing…every single day. We have a culture of excellence and we will not allow this moment to impede our progress. Each day is an opportunity for us to strengthen public trust and confidence in the Columbia Police Department."

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