On Friday, August 30, 2019 it was reported that Jason Pope was arrested and charged with some very serious allegations.
WPDE reported:
A popular Florence DJ has been charged in a human trafficking case, according to the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.
Jason Rogers Pope is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and trafficking in persons.
On October 7, 2019 more information came out about the case, with even more serious implications. Officials felt there might be more victims.
WPDE reported:
Officials believe popular Florence DJ had more victims. The Florence County Sheriff's Office, Florence Police Department and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division believe there are additional victims or individuals who may be aware of additional crimes related to this case. If you have any information, please call SLED at 866-472-8477.
I would like to commend WPDE for breaking this story and following up with an investigation to get important details out to the community. Jason Rogers Pope has had incidents involving police reports dating back to 2011.
A well-known Florence DJ charged with human trafficking earlier this year may have had possible victims further back than deputies are currently investigating, according to records handed over to ABC 15. Five of the nine reports where Pope was listed as the subject were sex-related. Only one, filed on Christmas Eve in 2011, involved an adult woman. In them, he was accused of sending her pornographic texts.
In light of everything that has come out, I would like to ask that people please stop calling this guy a DJ. Most of the headlines concerning this case call Jason Rogers Pope "a popular Florence DJ."
I am a radio DJ in this area since 2003 and I have never heard of Jason Pope, or the name "DJ Kid" in any professional manner.
I admit that I don't hang around the clubs, so I spoke to several actual DJ's in Florence who do. These guys truly are popular both at radio stations and in the clubs, and have established careers for years in the Pee Dee.
I asked, "Have you ever heard of Jason Pope or "DJ Kid," is this guy a real DJ in this area?"
DJ Fisher says he's not a DJ.
Buddha Ratt says he's not a DJ.
DJ Tazz says he's not a DJ.
Shi-C says he's not a DJ.
DJ Stylz says he's not a DJ.
Denis Davis says he's not a DJ.
What several of these DJ's say they know of Jason Pope is that he would burn mix CD's back in the day, shouting out different towns in the Pee Dee and pass them out to people. Passing out fliers and handing out CD's doesn't make a person a DJ. Just because you put on your Facebook profile that you're a DJ doesn't make you one either. It certainly does not make you a popular one.
There are rumors that Pope might have been at a house party back in 2002/03, but I couldn't find one person that has ever actually seen this guy behind turntables.
Why is this important?
As someone who has a lot of respect for what DJ's do, and being respectful to the careers of people who actually work for their title, I don't want anyone thinking that the allegations listed here are accepted in the community. I certainly do not want anyone getting duped by someone with bad intentions just because they pass out CD's and fliers. Saying that you're a DJ to young teenage girls is equivalent to offering candy to a baby. I'm horrified by the assaults described in this case, and I would never want it to happen to another young girl. I also don't want the hardworking, true DJ's in this area to be associated with what is being reported.
It remains to be seen how the criminal charges against Pope play out. We don't know, he could be found innocent of the charges, however, what we do know is he is NOT a DJ.