Yarbrough
NEWBERRY — The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Christopher Joseph Yarbrough, 51, of 11945 Hwy 121, Newberry. The police took Yarbrough into custody last week on charges of first-degree domestic violence, third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime, two counts of voyeurism, two counts of first-degree sexual exploitation, two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, and a second offense of possession of a controlled substance.
According to Chief Investigator Major Robert Dennis, the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint that Yarbrough physically assaulted his wife. The incident occurred last week after Yarbrough’s wife confronted him about placing crushed blue pills into food meant for herself and their children. Yarbrough’s wife disclosed that after she confronted him, he became irate, shoved her to the floor, and choked her, according to the NCSO. The couple’s two children intervened in the altercation and removed their mother to safety.
However, fearing further assault from Yarbrough, they did not leave the residence until later. According to the Newberry Sheriff’s Office, one of the children informed investigators that Yarbrough committed sexual battery against them. Acting on this information, investigators took Yarbrough into custody. Investigators located suboxone patches and several guns in Yarbrough’s possession. Yarbrough is a convicted felon and should not have a gun, per the NCSO.
The victims were taken to Newberry Hospital for medical treatment and the Department of Social Services were notified to assist.
Sheriff Lee Foster said, “this is not the first encounter with Yarbrough.” According to Foster, he is a registered sex offender with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office for a 2005 conviction of voyeurism. Yarbrough was then investigated in 2018 for going to his neighbor’s house and using a camera affixed to a pole to film persons in a bathroom. He was convicted of four counts of voyeurism second offense in 2019.
Yarbrough is being detained at the Newberry County Detention Center after a Newberry County magistrate denied his bond for his criminal charges.
“Christopher Yarbrough is a prime example of a person that does not need to be walking around in society. It is obvious he has not learned his lesson from his past transgressions and is presenting a clear present danger to our community,” said Foster.