Former Aiken County Councilman’s Sex Charges Dismissed

By Joy Howe
WJBF News Channel 6 Aiken County Reporter
Published: November 20, 2008

Aiken, SC—Ferrara appeared in court to face charges two years ago, back in November of 2006.

But Aiken County Solicitor Barbara Morgan tells us there were complications.

The biggest problem, Morgan says, is that they cannot find their number one witness—a man to whom the 23-year-old woman first told her story.

He is called the “outcry” witness, and Morgan says without him she felt there was little chance they could convict Ferrara.

We tried to speak with Ferrara, Thursday, but when we went to his house, no one was there. Neighbors say he moved out over the summer.

Solicitor Morgan says this case posed several challenges, including the defense asking the judge to review some social service records connected to the 13-year-old, the first alleged victim.

While those are confidential, Morgan says they could have hurt the child.

Barbara Morgan, Aiken County Solicitor: “That’s why it’s difficult and sometimes we have to be honest with victims and tell them that, and in this case, that’s the difficulty. We felt that it was the appropriate thing, given that we couldn’t find that corroborating witness.“

Solicitor Morgan says there is no statute of limitation in this case, so it could be re-opened.

But at this point, Ferrara’s name has been legally cleared, the case is dismissed.