North Charleston Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Bribing Public Officials

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks, 38, of North Charleston, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his role in two schemes to bribe North Charleston City Councilmen.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in early 2024, Sea Fox Boat Company hired Hicks as a consultant. Sea Fox had proposed a new boat manufacturing facility in North Charleston, but its plans required a zoning change to the subject property. Amid strong community opposition to the project, Sea Fox hired Hicks to garner community support and help ensure that North Charleston City Council would vote in favor of the zoning change. Sea Fox hired Hicks based on the recommendation of two members of North Charleston City Council-Jerome Heyward and Mike A. Brown. Hicks accepted $30,000 in consulting fees from Sea Fox between February and June 2024.

Hicks agreed to pay Heyward and Brown a portion of his consulting fees in exchange for their influence and official action with respect to Sea Fox's proposal. Hicks paid Heyward $5,000, including $2,500 in cash on the date of City Council's vote on the rezoning application. Hicks paid Brown at least $1,000 in cash.

Further evidence revealed that Hicks was involved in a second scheme to bribe Sandino Moses, who was a member of North Charleston City Council at the time. Hicks was present during a meeting on April 26, 2024, during which Tory Fields agreed to bribe Moses to gain his support of Sea Fox's rezoning efforts. Thereafter, Fields paid Moses two bribes to convince him to support the Sea Fox plant, and Hicks knew that Fields had done so.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Hicks to 15 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 2-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Hicks was also ordered to forfeit $30,000, representing the consulting fees and ill-gotten gains of his crimes.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the case.