New K-9s will support SC sex offender supervision program

Agents Rocky and Hunter, two electronic storage detection K-9s, are joining the ranks of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

The dogs were presented to the department as a donation from Defenders For Children, a Greenville-based nationally recognized K-9 placement organization serving law enforcement.

ESD K-9s are rigorously trained in the detection of a specific chemical found in data storage devices, smartphones and other electronics. These devices are contraband for convicted sex offenders under department supervision and can potentially be used to store sexually explicit content that is illegal to possess, create or distribute.

Rocky and Hunter have completed more than five months of training in Indianapolis at the Jordan K-9 detection facility. 

Rocky, a 2-year-old male golden retriever mix, is handled by PPP Agent Robin Hennessey based in Horry County.

Hennessey began her agent career with the agency in 2024. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her prior experience as a probation officer in New Jersey and a corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Hennessey has a bachelor’s degree in law and justice from Rowan University and a master’s degree in elementary education from Fairleigh Dickinson University. 

Hunter, a 2 ½-year-old male black Labrador retriever, is handled by Agent Ja’Quaviz Craig based in Greenville.

Craig started his PPP career in 2023 and has served as a domestic violence agent for Laurens and Union counties since September 2025. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Berea College. Craig regularly participates in special operations around the state.

Both teams will assist PPP agents and other law enforcement agencies statewide conducting searches of offenders’ homes as needed.  The PPP Sex Offender Specialized Caseload Program began in 2006 in response to the passage of Jessie’s Law, a South Carolina statute that strengthens penalties for child sex offenders, including lifetime GPS monitoring.

PPP implemented enhanced protocols, including the administration of a sex offender-specific risk assessment tool, increased contact standards, specific conditions of supervision for sex offenders and the use of a global positioning satellite, or GPS.

PPP acquired and employed its first electronics storage detection K-9, Chip, from November 2022 through May 2026 to enhance the search for hidden electronics. Using specialized software, the PPP Digital Forensic Unit searches cellphones, tablets, computers and gaming systems for the presence of explicit materials.

Since 2022, the PPP K-9 Team has conducted 445 sex offender home searches, locating 1,645 electronic devices, leading to 205 violations and resulting in 68 criminal charges. The team’s actions have led to the rescue of two live sexual assault victims. In one particular case, the K-9 located a device that contained evidence of active abuse, leading to criminal charges aiding in the rescue of a victim being actively abused by her stepfather.

“K-9s Rocky and Hunter will help the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services continue its efforts to protect South Carolinians,” Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement. “By detecting hidden electronic evidence, these K-9s will play an important role in keeping communities safe, and we are grateful to Defenders For Children and the generous donors who made their service possible.” 

PPP Director Jake Gadsden Jr. added, “Defenders For Children is a group as dedicated to protecting our state’s children as we are at the South Carolina Department of Probation.  K-9s Rocky and Hunter are on the job and back 400 agents committed to searching for evidence to catch child predators.”

The cost of procuring each K-9 — including training, various equipment, leashes, collars, food storage bins and more — totals about $25,000 per dog. A portion of this amount for K-9 Rocky was sponsored by Realty One Group Freedom of Greenville.

Riverside High School also took on the cause of raising funds needed for K-9 Hunter during its fall 2026 Spirit Week. K-9 Hunter was named after Hunter Logan, a well-loved student counselor at Riverside High.

“Through the generous support of businesses and individual donors, Defenders For Children  was able to purchase and train these two highly skilled electronic detection K-9s. Their generosity also provided the special opportunity to name the K-9s,” said Toni Clark, CEO of Defenders For Children. “These K-9s are far more than investigative tools. They help uncover hidden electronic evidence that can lead investigators to children in danger, help rescue victims and bring those responsible to justice. Every device they locate could hold the evidence needed to save a child’s life.”

The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services supervises more than 24,000 offenders living in the community throughout the state. As of June 30, there are 1,059 registered active sex offenders under PPP supervision.

The department is charged with the supervision of offenders placed on probation by the courts, granted parole by the Board of Paroles and Pardons or statutorily released to one of the agency’s supervision programs.