Former Spartanburg County Sheriff, 2 Employees Plead Guilty in Public Corruption Scheme

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - 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 funds for years.

Wright pleaded guilty to Counts 1, 2 and 3 of the Information. Count 1 charges conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Count 2 charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and Wright faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Count 3 charges obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Wright must pay a special assessment of $100 for each count.

Amos Durham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100. Lawson B. Watson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100.

Chief United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

According to court documents, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Chaplain's Benevolence Fund (the Benevolence Fund) is a non-profit organization that provides financial and emotional assistance to officers of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office during times of need, such as bereavement, financial difficulties, and traumatic line-of-duty events. Wright, in his capacity as sheriff, hired Durham as the Director of the Benevolence Fund. In that position, Durham was responsible for administering the fund. Durham and Wright abused their positions and conspired to siphon public funds from the Benevolence Fund for their private use.

In March 2005, Wright hired Watson as an employee of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. From at least as early as January 2021 through March 2025, Watson certified on his timesheet that he worked a full-time job. In fact, Watson received a full salary and benefits for work that he did not perform. Wright allowed Watson to continue to fraudulently receive a paycheck and benefits of approximately $200,000 for work that he did not perform.

In May of 2023 through September 2023, Wright knowingly and intentionally obtained 147 pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone by misrepresentation from an individual after representing that the pills would be turned in and destroyed as part of the "take back" narcotic disposal program administered by the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. In fact, Wright was obtaining the narcotics for his own personal use.

"Thank you to our investigation and prosecution partners and their respective offices, to Solicitor Micah Black, Chief of SLED Mark Keel, FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore, and the federal prosecutors and support members in our office," said Bryan Stirling, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. "In South Carolina we are so fortunate to have local, state, and federal law enforcement in lock step in every case and defendant brought to justice. I want to make it very clear no one is above the law, especially those that wear the badge. Stealing from a fund that's supposed to benefit law enforcement families in their darkest hours is not something that can be condoned. Finally, if you hold a position of trust and abuse that trust, your misconduct will meet the full force of the law."

"The defendants held positions of power within the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office but chose to abuse the public's trust," said Kevin Moore, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia field office, "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always pursue and hold accountable anyone who misuses the power and trust granted to them - no matter who they are or where they serve."

"The task of investigating a popular and powerful local sheriff is never an easy one," said Mica Black, 10^th Circuit Solicitor. "I would like to thank Chief Keel and his team at the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, including Special Agent Austin Mills, for their persistence in this case. They worked closely with their counterparts at the Federal Bureau of Investigation during this joint investigation. Additionally, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina has been relentless in their pursuit of justice in this case, and we were proud to partner with them in this prosecution. Without the hard work of all involved, today's guilty plea would not have happened."

"I'd like to thank our state and federal law enforcement and prosecution partners who worked together to ensure that justice was served. These offenses aren't just against the law - these actions by public servants violate the public's trust," said SLED Chief Mark Keel. "No one, no matter their title, is above the law."

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lothrop Morris is prosecuting the case.

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