A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by a former S.C. Highway Patrolman testified Thursday in General Sessions Court that she continues to have nightmares more than a year after the incident.

Harold Long, who was a trooper for more than 15 years before retiring during the investigation into the assault, pleaded guilty Thursday to misconduct in office, the only charge he faced.

"I'm very regretful," Long said in court. "I made a terrible mistake. I've served the community for 15 years with an outstanding record. I apologize and ask you for any mercy you can give me. I've embarrassed the state, my family and this court."

Circuit Court Judge Doyet A. Early sentenced Long to eight years in prison and a $10,000 fine. That was suspended to five years probation and a $1,000 fine. During the first year of probation, Long will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring. After house arrest he has been ordered to complete 100 hours of public service.

Long, who has no prior criminal record, also was ordered to deposit $3,500 within 30 days into an account for the victim's counseling.

"You've embarrassed yourself, the state and other officers," Early said during sentencing. "If you violate the first term of this probation I will put you in jail for eight years."

Prosecutor Elizabeth McMahon of the S.C. Attorney General's Office said Long was working third shift on the evening of Aug. 2, 2005, and had just finished working a wreck scene at Hwy. 18 and Interstate 85 when he met the victim, "a distressed female," at the nearby Kangaroo convenience store. The woman told police that she had left her River Drive home and went to the store after her husband hit and choked her during a domestic altercation.

The woman left with the former Lance Corporal in his patrol car and was later dropped off at a restaurant in the county. She told police he sexually assaulted her near the Peachoid water tower on Peachoid Road, according to an incident report filed after the assault.

"There's evidence regarding a sexual encounter and evidence there was an exchange of money," McMahon said, adding that DNA evidence was collected. She also said witnesses saw the woman get into the patrol car with Long.

The Highway Patrol dispatch office received a call from the woman's friend and contacted Long, who denied knowing anything about the woman. Long also lied by telling another trooper that he picked the woman up after seeing her running up the road, McMahon continued.

"I think he's been given preference for being a police officer because they only took his job away," the victim, who speaks Spanish, told the judge through a translator. "He can get a job wherever but who is going to give me my life back? I can't sleep. I have nightmares every night. I don't believe it's sufficient that he lost his job. He thought I wasn't going to say anything cause I'm Mexican and can't speak English, but I don't want this to happen to anyone else. It's not right. He's a police officer. He's supposed to help people. It's not justice."

"Here's a man who has given his whole life to service, then he made a despicable error in judgement," Early said. "It gives every member of the Highway Patrol a black eye, as well as other law enforcement officers and the entire legal system."

SLED investigated the incident and the case was prosecuted by the Attorney General's office to avoid a potential conflict of interest.