South Carolina Sheriff Chuck Wright just pled guilty today to three federal charges, including conspiracy to commit theft from federally funded programs, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and obtaining controlled substances through misrepresentation, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors say Wright stole money from a fund meant to help officers in need and used some of it to buy opioids. They accuse Wright and two former employees—chaplain Amos Durham and deputy Lawson Watson— of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sheriff’s office. Durham helped siphon more than $28,000, while Watson was paid over $200,000 for work he never performed.
Charles “Chuck” Wright, 60, the former sheriff of Spartanburg County; Amos Durham 61, a former chaplain for the department; and Lawson B. Watson 63, a former employee, have pleaded guilty for their participation in a public corruption scheme that defrauded the county of public… pic.twitter.com/Axshlu7z1f
— U.S. Attorney SC (@USAO_SC) October 30, 2025
Reports previously uncovered more than $53,000 in questionable credit card spending, including luxury hotels and diet program subscriptions. Wright also faced ethics investigations for hiring his son and using a sheriff’s helicopter for personal trips.
Wright, who resigned earlier this year, could face up to 30 years in prison and more than $440,000 in restitution. His conviction marks another in a growing list of South Carolina sheriffs charged with corruption over the past decade.