CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. —
Gov. Nikki Haley has suspended Chesterfield County Sheriff Sam Parker from office following his indictment on misconduct charges.
To see the whole indictment document, click here.
On Tuesday, the South Carolina Attorney General said Parker was charged with four counts of misconduct in office and two counts of furnishing contraband to inmates.
The Attorney General said indictments against the sheriff were returned by the State Grand Jury Tuesday. He said the indictment lays out allegations that Parker allowed inmates to go shopping, eat out, wear civilian clothing, even live outside jail in exchange for doing work at his home and within the Sheriff's Department.
The indictment said inmate Michael Lee was allowed to live and sleep, often unsupervised, outside the confines of the Chesterfield County Detention Center in a dorm-like setting inside the sheriff’s armory.
The indictment goes on to say that Lee was allowed to possess items which are not permissible to inmates, such as TVs, clothes, drugs, alcohol, photo ID, refrigerator, grill, iPad, personal computer and other items.
Lee was also allowed to drive a Sheriff’s Office vehicle in Chesterfield County, the indictment states.
The indictment also says Lee was allowed to host dinner parties in the armory and have dinner at restaurants in North and South Carolina.
Lee was convicted of felony arson and sentenced to 15 years in jail.
The indictment says that Parker also allowed inmate William Skipper to drive Sheriff’s Office vehicles.
Skipper was given access to firearms, spend holidays with his family and have unsupervised visits with female visitors, the indictment states.
The indictment says Skipper was also permitted to take shopping trips to various places in North and South Carolina and eat meals at Parker’s home with other law enforcement officers.
Skipper was convicted of felony drug trafficking and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Parker told Channel 9 Wednesday that he plans to fight to stay in office. He said he was "shellshocked" by the charges and didn't know they were coming. Parker said he will not resign from office.
Coroner Kip Kiser becomes the acting sheriff.
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