Charleston police release graphic details surrounding Thomas Ravenel's assault arrest

After his arrest this morning, Charleston Police have released a detailed description of assault allegations made against Thomas Ravenel by a former nanny.

In an affidavit presented to Magistrate Judge Ellen Steinberg by Detective C. Malinowski, the Southern Charm star and real estate developer was charged with second degree assault and battery and booked into jail Tuesday morning based on an investigation into what took place on Jan. 25, 2015.

Ravenel’s accuser, a 43-year-old North Carolina woman who was not named by the police, appeared at Ravenel’s bond hearing Tuesday afternoon, according to media reports from The Post & Courier and Live 5 News’ Harve Jacobs.

According to the affidavit,

“While inside the location, the defendant undressed and made sexual advances on the victim. The defendant grabbed the victim’s hand and placed it on his penis before attempting to remove the victim’s clothing. While attempting to remove the victim’s clothing, the victim’s underwire bra cut into her skin and her shirt wrapped around her neck, which caused the victim to struggle to breath. The defendant pulled down the victim’s pants and said, “Show me your pussy,” and began grabbing at the victim’s vagina. The victim crouched down to the ground to try and prevent further assault, and the defendant then put his penis in her face and asked, “Do you like big dicks?” After escaping the assault, the victim called her then ex-husband and sister and told them of the incident, fled the scene and notified several family members of the incident. Photographs were then taken immediately of the injuries to her neck and chest.”

The woman first reported her “forcible rape” allegations to the police in May. Police confirmed today that Ravenel’s arrest was the result of an investigation based on those claims.

Ravenel was given a $20,000 personal recognizance bond at a hearing Tuesday, meaning that he does not have to pay any money up front, but would forfeit the money if he fails to appear in court in the future. He also was reportedly forced to surrender his passport.

The son of former South Carolina congressman Arthur Ravenel, Jr., Thomas has starred in the reality TV show Southern Charm since its premiere in March 2014. The unscripted series just finished airing its fifth season and follows the lives of a revolving door of Charleston socialites. Ravenel has two children with Charm co-star Kathryn Dennis.

A spokesperson for NBCUniversal confirmed a separate report stating that Ravenel will not return to Southern Charm next season.

Less than a month before the May police report, Ashley Perkins, a Florida-based real estate agent and model, told Columbia political/gossip blog FITS News that Ravenel settled a different allegation of sexual misconduct against her mother for $200,000.

The allegations Perkins discussed were also of a physical and sexual nature.

“He pushes my mom onto the nanny’s bed, grabs her wrist with one hand, then he starts trying to pull her pants off,” Perkins told People magazine. “And she’s like ‘No, no, no, stop.’ He stuck his fingers inside of her vagina as well as her anus. She told me that he held her hands back with one arm and then pulled his penis out and shoved it in her face.”

Ravenel was indicted on federal cocaine charges in June 2007, five months into his job as the state’s elected treasurer. He resigned from the post a month later and was later sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Ravenel and his lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.