Cayce woman charged for assault for hire scheme in lexington county

CAYCE, SC – A former detention officer at the Lexington County Detention Center has been charged for her alleged role in an assault-for-hire scheme last year. Ingrid Yolanda Ortiz-Montero, 22, is charged with two counts of misconduct in office and one count of conspiracy, according to arrest warrants.

“Immediately after I became aware of allegations that Ortiz-Montero brought contraband into the detention center, I placed her on administrative leave and launched an internal review,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Once I determined potential criminal activity took place, I called in the State Law Enforcement Division, as is standard procedure. We do that when a current or former employee is involved to ensure an unbiased and thorough investigation.”

After she was placed on administrative leave for the contraband investigation, Ortiz-Montero communicated with an inmate to discuss payment for the assault of another inmate, Koon said.

“In November 2019, Oritz-Montero offered to pay $100 for the assault,” Koon said. “She resigned from her position about two weeks later.

Ortiz-Montero, a Cayce resident, was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center Saturday morning after SLED agents arrested her. She is expected to be released Saturday afternoon after meeting the conditions of her bond.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.