A blockbuster story in the Sunday StarNews of Wilmington alleging sexual encounters between long-time state Sen. R.C. Soles and several young men backed up reporting initially published by Carolina Journal in October 2009. Based on a three-month investigation, “R.C.’s boys” reported that three men now claim that sexual encounters with Soles, now 77, occurred when the men were under the age of 16.

The story marked the first time Toby Faircloth, a former resident of Tabor City who is now 49, identified himself publicly as a former Soles victim. Carolina Journal reported Faircloth’s story in October 2009. In an interview with CJ, Faircloth recounted a sexual assault by Soles when Faircloth was just 13 years old. Faircloth did not want his name used in the initial reports.

More than 30 years ago, Faircloth said the state senator lured Faircloth to Soles’ secluded lakefront home, served him alcohol, and then raped him. CJ provided the first account of Faircloth’s interactions with Soles.

Immediately after the CJ story ran, ABC affiliate WWAY in Wilmington ran a similar story featuring Faircloth, and also did not show his face or use his real name.

B. J. Wright, now 25, and Stacey Scott, now 29, each told the newspaper of sexual encounters with Soles that started when each was 15 years old. Wright and Scott also claim that Soles gave them money in exchange for sex.

The StarNews story also featured another Soles acquaintance, Allen “Frog” Strickland, age 19. Frog has no job but owns a Mercedes, a Chevy Silverado pickup and a house — reportedly all paid for by Soles.

Wright, Scott, and Strickland have criminal histories. Each has spent time in jail or prison.

Faircloth’s situation, however, is different. He didn’t tell his parents about the encounter and left Tabor City about a year after the abuse started to live with relatives.

Saturday afternoon, Faircloth told CJ he was pleased with the StarNews report. “I am different than the others,” Faircloth said. “I have not been in trouble, but now there are three of us speaking out. I begged for people to come forward. Now I am not standing out there alone.”

Faircloth said he hopes “the State Bureau of Investigation will step in. They have been investigating my allegations for two years. With all the information on Soles, how is he walking the streets right now?” he said.

Soles, a Tabor City Democrat, first was elected to the N. C. House in 1968 and moved to the Senate a few years later. He was the longest serving member of the General Assembly in history. Soles decided not to run for re-election in 2010 after the sexual molestation allegations surfaced and a shooting incident involving Wright, Blackburn, and Blackburn’s girlfriend at the time occurred on his property.

Don Carrington is executive editor of Carolina Journal.