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.

A Charlotte man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he used stolen identities to fraudulently bill Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of dollars in psychotherapy services that were never provided.

U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that Ronnie Lorenzo Robinson Jr., 56, of Charlotte, has been charged with health care fraud, making false statements relating to health care matters, and aggravated identity theft. The case is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

“Part of the reason healthcare costs are out of control is because of fraud like this,” said Ferguson in a press release. “Every dollar spent on healthcare should go toward healthcare—not lining the pockets of criminals. We will work night and day to uncover fraud like this and recover the money that is needlessly being paid in both taxes and healthcare costs.”

According to the federal indictment, Robinson allegedly used the personal identifying information of medical professionals and Medicaid recipients without their knowledge or permission. Prosecutors say he submitted approximately $735,000 in false Medicaid reimbursement claims for psychotherapy services that were never performed.

Authorities allege Robinson’s company, The Fisher of Men Project, LLC, received approximately $440,000 in Medicaid payments as a result of the fraudulent claims.

Federal prosecutors also allege Robinson concealed his ownership of the company because he had previously been barred from participating in the Medicaid program. Instead, investigators say he listed another individual as the company’s owner.

The Charlotte case is part of a massive nationwide enforcement operation announced Thursday. The Department of Justice charged 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, in alleged health care fraud and opioid-related schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims.

The nationwide operation spanned 56 federal districts and 45 states and U.S. territories, making it the largest health care fraud takedown in Department of Justice history. Investigators also seized more than $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets tied to alleged fraud schemes.

An indictment contains allegations, and Robinson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Someone cut down two secretive surveillance cameras in a small South Carolina town about 30 miles southeast of Charlotte, sparking a criminal investigation and reigniting the nationwide debate over privacy, surveillance, and crime-fighting technology.

The Pageland Police Department said two Flock Safety camera poles were vandalized in the Chesterfield County town of just over 2,500 residents.

Flock Safety cameras automatically photograph license plates and store the information in a searchable database that participating law enforcement agencies can access during investigations.

While many departments credit the cameras with helping solve thousands of crimes, the technology has drawn growing criticism from privacy advocates.

Critics argue the systems track the movements of ordinary drivers who are not suspected of crimes and raise concerns about data sharing, oversight, and government surveillance. The technology has also faced lawsuits over privacy issues, and some communities have ended contracts after learning license plate data had been shared with federal agencies.

The Pageland Police Department is asking for people with information regarding the individual(s) responsible to contact the Pageland Police Department at 843-672-6437.