### THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA In The Supreme Court

In the Matter of Jacob Leon Parrott, Respondent.

Appellate Case No. 2020-000892

Opinion No. 27989 Submitted June 19, 2020 – Filed August 12, 2020

DISBARRED

John S. Nichols, Disciplinary Counsel, and C. Tex Davis, Jr., Senior Disciplinary Counsel, both of Columbia, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

Jacob Leon Parrott, of Myrtle Beach, pro se

.

PER CURIAM: In this attorney disciplinary matter, Respondent and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) have ente red into an Agreement for Discipline by Consent (the Agreement) pursuant to Rule 21, RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR. In the Agreement, Respondent adm its misconduct and consents to the imposition of any sanction set forth in Rule 7(b), RLDE , Rule 413, SCACR. We accept the Agreement and disbar Respondent from the prac tice of law in this state, retroactive to June 5, 2018, the date of his arrest. Th e facts, as set forth in the Agreement, are as follows.

Facts

On June 5, 2018, Respondent was arrested and charged with indecent exposure, in violation of S.C. Code Ann. § 16-15- 130, after he was observed exposing his genitals and masturbating. Respondent self-reported the arrest to ODC on June 19, 2018. On December 9, 2019, Respondent entered a plea pursuant to North Carolina v. Alford , 400 U.S. 25 (1970), and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, suspended to twelve m onths' probation and payment of $168.75 incourt costs.

Respondent's previous disciplinary histor y includes two matters involving similar behavior. In 1997, Respondent recei ved a four-month suspension citing the equivalent of Rules 8.4(b) (committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on an attorney's honesty, trustworth iness, or fitness as a lawy er in other respects) and 8.4(c) (committing a criminal act involvi ng moral turpitude), RPC, Rule 407, SCACR. In re Parrott , 325 S.C. 162, 480 S.E.2d 722 (1997). This four-month suspension followed Respondent's entry of an Alford plea to a charge of simple assault and battery he recei ved after pulling down a woma n's bathing suit while she was sunbathing at Surfside Beach in May 1994. Id. at 163, 480 S.E.2d at 723 (noting Respondent tried to pull off anot her woman's bikini bottom while she was sunbathing at North Myrtle Beach in Oct ober 1989, but was not prosecuted for this offense; and Respondent had no prior connec tion with either woman, covered his face during both incidents, and retreated when the women "put up a struggle").

In 2017, the Court suspended Respondent, then fifty-six years old, for nine months after he was arrested and charged with voyeurism for using a cell phone to take photos up a woman's skirt in a grocery store and failed to inform ODC of his arrest within the required fifteen-day period. In re Parrott , 421 S.C. 105, 107, 804 S.E.2d 852, 853 (2017). In its 2017 orde r, the Court found Respondent's conduct violated Rules 8.3(a) (requiring an attorn ey to provide notice to ODC in writing within fifteen days of being arrested or charged by way of indictment, information, or complaint with a serious crime), and 8.4(b) (committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on a lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects), RPC, Rule 407, SCACR. In re Parrott , 421 S.C. at 109, 804 S.E.2d at 854.

Law

Respondent admits his conduct violated Rule 8.4(b), RPC, Rule 407, SCACR (committing a criminal act that reflect s adversely on a lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects). Respondent further admits his conduct constitutes grounds for discipline under Rule 7(a)(1), RLDE, Rule 407, SCAR (violating or attempting to viol ate the Rules of Professional Conduct).

Conclusion

We find Respondent's misconduc t warrants disbarment. Accordingly, we accept the Agreement and disbar Respondent from the practice of law in this state,retroactive to June 5, 2018. Respondent shall pay the costs incurred in the investigation and prosecution of this matter by ODC and the Commission on Lawyer Conduct within thirty (30) days of th e date of this opinion. Within fifteen (15) days of the date of this opinion, Respondent shall file an affidavit with the Clerk of Court showing he has complied with Rule 30, RLDE , Rule 413, SCACR, and shall also surrender his Certificate of Admission to the Practice of Law to the Clerk of Court.

DISBARRED.

BEATTY, C.J., KITTREDGE, HEAR N, FEW and JAMES, JJ., concur.