Foster receives 22 years for burglary, armed robbery

Vorise Peeples suggested to prosecutors the man who stabbed her on June 11, 2019 in her Charles Street home spend 22 years in prison–serving one year for each year she thought he had been alive at the time he assaulted her.

Stephon Foster, 25, pled guilty on November 28 to armed robbery and burglary in the first degree and was sentenced the next day at Barnwell County Courthouse to 22 years in a state maximum security prison.

“This is a defendant that the court should be scared of, and this is a person that should be sentenced to the maximum that is allowed under the negotiated cap,” said Deputy Second Circuit Solicitor David Miller during the sentencing hearing.

The negotiated cap was set at 22 years due to the suggestion by Peeples, meaning the most presiding Judge Courtney Clyburn-Pope could sentence Foster to serving was 22 years.

Both charges of burglary in the first degree and armed robbery are considered violent offenses, and carry 15 years to life and 10 to 30 years to life, respectively.

Foster will serve a maximum of 85 percent of the 22 years depending on his actions while incarcerated. He has already served 1,266 days while awaiting sentencing– this time will be redacted from his overall sentence.

While being held at the Barnwell County Detention Center and then the Aiken County Detention Center before sentencing, Foster’s behavior resulted in three contraband charges in December 2020, September 2021, and February 2022.

One incident involving Foster resulted in a jail employee being terminated for their involvement in coordinating conjugal visits between Foster and a female inmate. These visits between the two inmates resulted in the conception of twins, according to Foster in a statement made during the sentencing hearing.

Another incident was detailed by Deputy Solicitor Miller, who explained Foster coordinated a plan on a recorded phone line with someone on the outside for him and fellow inmates to receive unredacted or read mail while at the Aiken County Detention Center.

To do this, he instructed the individual to purchase a legal notice stamp and list the return address as any attorney’s office in Aiken County. Privileged mail (from legal representatives or council) cannot be inspected by prison officials, unlike letters from loved ones.

Deputy Solicitor Miller also detailed an incident involving contraband where Foster stored items in his anal cavity.

All contraband charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

When first arrested on June 13, 2019, Foster was charged with first degree burglary, kidnapping, armed robbery, attempted murder, grand larceny, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and weapons law violations.

“At this time, I thank God that I’m still able to stand and speak,” said Peeples at the sentencing hearing when giving her statement.

Peeples detailed her attack in June 2019 as she spoke to both the courtroom and to Foster.

“His red shirt was red with my blood,” said Peeples as she explained how she tried to defend herself from the swings of Foster’s knife.

“When he tied me to the chair, that’s when he really stabbed me on my hips,” said Peeples.

During the attack, Foster’s bandana slipped from his face. Peeples stated this is when she was able to identify him. Once discharged from the hospital, Peeples met with Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) deputies to identify her assailant on June 15, 2019.

“I pointed to two people, and I looked at one of the deputies and he gave me a nod as to which one, because two looked much alike,” said Peeples.

According to Foster’s defense attorney, Erin O’Neal Gaddy, Peeples identified the assailant with twists in his hair prior to this photo identification with BCSO.

“Three of the gentlemen have twists, and three don’t, that knocked out three individuals right off the bat,” said Gaddy of the photo lineup presented to Peeples.

“There was no investigation, it was ‘Mr. Foster did this,’” said Gaddy.

In the defense's argument, Gaddy also addressed the alleged nod made by the presiding BCSO deputy to Peeples at the photo identification alleging that law enforcement had decided who the criminal was before it was proven.

This identification was recorded and viewed by both the prosecution and defense prior to sentencing. According to the prosecution, they did not see a BCSO deputy nod when Peeples pointed to Foster’s picture. The People-Sentinel is in the process of acquiring this footage.

“I have no animosity, he just needs to get himself together,” said Peeples.

Peeples retired from teaching at Denmark-Olar Schools in 1996; however, her impact was long-lasting as former students, now friends, spoke to her character in the courtroom.

S.C. Representative Lonnie Hosey took to the podium in support of Peeples who he has known his whole life.

“The character of this young lady is indescribable,” said Rep. Hosey. “A lady who taught a lot of children, and called on me many times to lecture children who were out of place in her classroom.”

“God bless the young man, let God see through him and promise that this does not occur to anyone else,” said Rep. Hosey.

Joe Priester took to the podium to express his respect and love for Peeples as well, stating, “She’s been in my life all my life, and she’s always been one you can reach out to. I pray for the young man who has done this, he still has life, so he still has a life to turn around,” said Priester.

Peeples’ son was also present stating his mother was a pillar of the community for years.

“I apologize for what happened to you… I take responsibility for it,” said Foster during his statement at the sentencing. In this statement, Foster took full responsibility for the charges presented against him and the toll this incident took on Peeples and the community.

“We kind of have gone over the effect that Ms. Peeples has on so many people in this community, and I think that’s one of the reasons why so much hatred, and to some extent blinders, were placed on Mr. Foster, because she is so beloved. He has had no one like that in his life,” said Gaddy. “I see a human being who has had no leg up, no one invested in him, no circumstance that has provided him with enough confidence to not participate,” in acts like this.

Although Gaddy never disputed his presence at the crime, she did question his complete involvement and lack of DNA evidence indicating Foster was the assailant. According to Gaddy, Foster’s DNA was not found on Peeples’ stolen car or other items noted in the crime itself.

Foster is from New York, and has two sisters residing in Blackville. Gaddy explained Foster was taking responsibility for this crime to avoid any repercussions falling on his siblings.

“That’s a lot of responsibility for someone who may have been just standing outside,” said Gaddy.

He will be well into his 40s when he is released from prison.

Foster is currently incarcerated at Kirkland Correctional Institute in Columbia, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections.