The man responsible for building what state officials claim is an illegal erosion controlstructure to protect his property from the Atlantic Ocean in this upscale beach community could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in fines and up to six months of jail time.

Rom Reddy is not the first affluent property owner to bypass state law in the name of protecting his home, and if the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control lets him off easy, environmental groups say he won't be the last.

Reddy purchased his beachfront home in 2014, according to Charleston County property records. The multi-million-dollar property sits on Ocean Boulevard, near Breach Inlet. An erosion-control wall under construction has sparked controversy as well as reveal a legal struggle between Reddy and DHEC. Reddy's position is that he is protecting his property. DHEC's position is that the structure violates state law.