Latest news with #SpartanburgCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Some Spartanburg Co. deputies were sworn in incorrectly, interim sheriff realizes
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – When Jeffery Stephens was sworn in last week as Spartanburg County Sheriff, he noticed something was missing from the oath which he was required to recite. Some deputies had been sworn in incorrectly by leaving out part of the oath they're required to recite. Every deputy in South Carolina has to take two oaths. One is found within the South Carolina Constitution. The other is found in the South Carolina Code of Laws. Reciting the two oaths is part of their duty to obey and enforce laws fairly. A spokesperson said the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office noticed, under former Sheriff Chuck Wright, some deputies were incorrectly sworn in because some words were missing in the code of laws. Spartanburg Co. Sheriff Chuck Wright resigns, cites 'recent health diagnosis' Brandi Hinton, an attorney at Ellis Hinton Law said not stating the full oath and proceeding could lead to problems with the arrests made by those deputies. 'Certainly is the right of a defendant to have a deputy arrest them that is properly sworn because that is what the constitution and the state statues say,' Hinton said. Hinton said it'll be at the discretion of the defendants impacted and their attorneys on how they handle this. How many cases may be impacted is unknown at this time. Hinton said she thinks it will be used as a negotiation tactic. However, she believes a case dismissal would be extremely difficult. 'It is really a case specific decision,' Hinton said. 'It is a strategy decision by the particular defense attorney and defendant that they will make jointly.' Hinton said this issue has happened before in South Carolina. She says it's uncommon but it's also happened at our nation's highest level. Community, law enforcement react to Sheriff Chuck Wright's resignation 'When President Obama was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts, that oath was actually administered incorrectly and Chief Justice John Roberts went to the White House and corrected it later that same day,' Hinton said. In a Greenwood County case heard by the South Carolina Supreme Court where deputies were improperly sworn in, justices ruled the case would not be dismissed. 'The Court of Appeals opinion is broader in that it also evaluated the status of the deputies,' a spokesperson for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office explained. 'It provides that the deputies are at least 'de facto deputies' and that actions taken consistent with their position as a deputy are lawful.' 'Simply because you have this issue, it doesn't mean that you necessarily can't be prosecuted for what they arrested you for,' Hinton said. Hinton, a former federal and state prosecutor who has worked thousands of cases as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, said it is something the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office might see brought up in court. 'At any point, the Supreme Court can take up another issue or they can say this issue is different from the one we heard back in 2016,' Hinton said. 'They are very similar, so the court will look to that opinion in making their decision but certainly they can raise that issue at any time.' The sheriff's office said Sheriff Stephens corrected the issue this week and has since sworn in the deputies – again – with the full service oath. Cases that could be impacted are only cases handled by deputies between the time they were sworn in under former Sheriff Chuck Wright and re-sworn in on Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Special election candidates emerge as interim Spartanburg County sheriff settles into role
The May 23 resignation of former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright sets in motion a special election on Nov. 4 that is already garnering interest for the job. Filing with the Spartanburg County Voter Registration and Elections doesn't open until June 13, but four candidates have made their intentions known so far: Nick Duncan served for almost 10 years in the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office before resigning to take on Wright in the 2024 Republican primary. Wright won that contest before going on to secure reelection. Duncan's campaign website stresses transparency and accountability, community policing, crime prevention, and investment in the tools law enforcement needs to keep the public safe. He said he plans to lead 'with openness and humility.' On his Facebook page, Duncan announced that he will be hosting a town hall event for Sheriff's Office deputies on Monday, June 2. Only deputies and their families are invited to attend, though Duncan promises public events to come soon. Learn more at Randy Hollifield served in the Army and went into law enforcement in 1982 as a member of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. According to his campaign website, his experience includes working in the warrants division, the traffic division, and the Spartanburg County Detention Center. He reached the rank of captain and was a member of the sheriff's command staff. In a bio on his website, Hollifield stresses that he has 'served this community with integrity, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.' Learn more at Andy Clark retired from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. According to his website, he worked in various capacities and 'saw many missed opportunities to help the officers provide better services to the citizens, businesses, and visitors of Spartanburg County.' Clark says he will emphasize fiscal responsibility and strategic investment in law enforcement resources. Learn more at Joseph Hawes is the Pacolet police chief. His prior career experience includes work with the campus security staff at USC Upstate, the Horry County Police Department, and the United States Department of Defense. Hawes' campaign website stresses that his approach to leadership 'is built on customer service, communication, consistency, and procedural justice.' He says he will promote transparency, community engagement, and evidence-based policing. Learn more at In the midst of all this, interim Sheriff Jeffrey Stephens is settling into his role, said Lt. Graham McLellan, who took the role of public information officer following the retirement of Lt. Kevin Bobo. According to Bobo's LinkedIn page, he is serving as a Spartanburg County magistrate judge. McLellan previously led the digital forensics unit. He said Stephens is busy holding meetings with various departments and staff members throughout the sheriff's office, getting their input and assuring them that he intends to provide stable leadership. McLellan said Stephens hopes to make time to meet with local media members in the days to come. More: 'It's so disappointing:' Spartanburg County residents react to Chuck Wright's resignation In the meantime, he said staff members are carrying on the business of protecting the public during what has been a time of uncertainty and transition. 'Everybody still knows what their job is, and they want to do it the best they can in order to serve the community,' he said. 'Our people on patrol have to be focused on what they're doing, because the job has to be done right.' Stephens was appointed on May 23 by Gov. Henry McMaster. He has had a long career in law enforcement. Stephens went to work for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office in 1980 and later served as an officer with the City of Spartanburg Police Department. He was a member of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for 25 years and served as Commander of the Northern Command. He has been chief deputy in Cherokee County since 2011. In a statement he released shortly after taking charge of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, Stephens said he was 'deeply honored' by McMaster's appointment. 'My promise to the people of Spartanburg County is simple: I will serve you dutifully and diligently while upholding the law with transparency, respect, and accountability,' he said in the statement. 'In the days ahead, I look forward to working alongside our deputies, staff, and community leaders to build upon the strengths of this office and ensure a safe and secure future for all who call Spartanburg County home.' Filing for the special election will be open from June 13 to June 21. The filing fee is $6,138.89. There will be a primary election on Aug. 5. A runoff will take place on Aug. 19, if needed, according to John Baucom, director of Spartanburg County Voter Registration and Elections. This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Candidates for Spartanburg County Sheriff emerge
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Spartanburg Co. Sheriff Chuck Wright resumes duties
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright is back on the job. The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Tuesday that Wright has 'assumed all sworn duties.' Wright had been on a leave of absence since April 1 for unspecified reasons. Prior to his leave of absence, Wright had been the subject of an investigation into whether he used taxpayer dollars to pay for a private credit card. In February, a former employee sued Wright for claims involving a wrongful discharge from the department. Former Lieutenant Jeremy Byrd filed an eight-page lawsuit stating that he was wrongfully fired and that Wright defamed him by calling him a 'mole in the sheriff's office.' The lawsuit mentioned that Byrd was terminated from the sheriff's office after he expressed concerns over Wright hiring his son in July 2024. During a news conference, 7NEWS asked Wright about the lawsuit which he called a 'non-issue.' 'The only thing I can say is the back of your commission says your commission expires at the pleasure of the sheriff,' said Wright. 'I don't have to give you a reason, even though I did so. It's a non-issue lawsuit.' The lawsuit also mentioned that after Byrd expressed the concerns up the chain of command, he was informed he was under investigation for making statements about Wright's son and saying, 'The wrong man won the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Election.' Byrd has denied making those claims and said he was fired for insubordination on Aug. 26, 2024. In July 2024, Wright was under investigation by the State Ethics Commission for allegations of nepotism for the hiring of his son, Jared Wright, at the sheriff's office. 'I didn't hire my son, the staff that works here hired my son,' Wright said. 'He went through every process that everyone else did. He's very well qualified. He's not the only part-time person who works here.' Wright said he spoke with the Ethics Commission before his son was hired by the sheriff's office. 'I did speak to some people down there, and they told me I needed some documentation but I did verbally and physically make sure they understood my son's not going to be treated special,' said Wright. This is a developing story, we will update it as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Upstate man missing since 2019 ‘doing well' in South Dakota
UNION COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A man reported missing six years ago is alive and well living in the midwest, according to authorities. The Union County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday that David Collin Barber, of Union, was recently located in South Dakota. Barber was reported missing to the sheriff's office in 2019 and investigators have been trying to locate him since following leads from family members, residents and Crimestoppers. In April of this year the sheriff's office, in conjunction with Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office cold case unit reviewed Barber's file again and developed new leads. On Tuesday investigators got a tip Barber had been seen on the west coast in 2019. While following the lead investigators learned Barber was now in South Dakota. Law enforcement agencies in the area were able to locate him and stated he is 'doing well.' 'We are thankful for the efforts of those who assisted in the search for Collin and the tips that came in that lead to this positive outcome for his loved ones,' said Union County Sheriff Jeff Bailey. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Report: Scammers spoof Spartanburg Co. Sheriff's Office number to steal thousands
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WPSA) – Scammers have reportedly 'cloned' the phone number for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office in an effort to target victims with a jury duty scam. According to reports from the sheriff's office on Friday a man reported to the sheriff's office to turn himself in after he believed he was wanted for failing to report for jury duty. The victim reportedly told deputies he received a phone call from someone who claimed he'd missed jury duty and would need to pay an $11,900 bond to avoid jail time. The phone number used in the scam, according to a report, is the same as the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office primary phone number. Believing the caller was legitimate, the man reportedly paid the $11,900 in bitcoin using an ATM on Asheville Highway. When the scammer then told the man he would have to pay an additional $50,000 to avoid jail time, he decided to turn himself in to the sheriff's office, where he learned it was a scam. Lt. Kevin Bobo, public information officer for Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, said in an email multiple county residents have complained about similar phone calls over the last two days. 'Despite previous scam alerts, we wanted to take this opportunity once again to remind citizens this agency will never call you and ask you to pay a fine via Bitcoin, Green Dot, or gift cards for missing jury duty,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
