On December 27, 2020, Officer Stephen Cleary forcibly assaulted his wife, threatened to kill her, and prevented her from leaving their home for over an hour. Their 6-year-old daughter was knocked backward during the incident, hitting her head against a wall. Cleary also took his wife’s phone to stop her from calling for help and had a gun laying on the bedroom floor in a threatening manner. He fled before police arrived and was later arrested in Florida. Cleary was charged with first-degree domestic violence, kidnapping, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He pleaded guilty in August 2021 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended to five years of probation, and was fired from the Fort Mill Police Department.
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