A former South Carolina sheriff is headed to federal prison after admitting he stole money from a fund meant to help his own deputies and their families.
Former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright was sentenced Tuesday to 41 months in federal prison, the maximum sentence within the agreed-upon federal guidelines, following a hearing that lasted more than three hours.
Wright, who served as sheriff from 2004 until his resignation in 2025, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, and conspiracy to commit theft involving federally funded programs.
The FBI office in Columbia said Wright stole more than $89,000 from the sheriff’s office Benevolence Fund, which was created to assist deputies facing financial hardship. According to prosecutors, deputies in need were told the fund was empty, including one whose wife was battling stage-four cancer and another whose home was damaged by a fallen tree.
Former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today after pleading guilty in a public corruption investigation. Assistant Special Agent in Charge spoke at a news conference following his sentencing about the joint FBI and SLED case. pic.twitter.com/T1ErGlBGwB
— FBI Columbia (@FBIColumbia) July 7, 2026
Court records show Wright admitted using much of the money to buy prescription pain pills while struggling with addiction. His attorneys sought a lighter sentence, citing addiction and PTSD, but prosecutors argued he had betrayed the public’s trust.
Wright was ordered to pay $462,866.06 in restitution. He has already repaid about $29,000 and will continue making monthly payments after his release. He will also serve three years of supervised release and undergo regular substance abuse testing.
Wright will self-report to federal prison within approximately 45 days. Depending on his behavior, he could be eligible for release after serving about 85% of his sentence.
The case also involves Wright’s cousin, L.B. Watson, and former sheriff’s office chaplain, Amos Durham, who both pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and are awaiting sentencing.
