Former Spartanburg Sheriff Agrees to Plead Guilty

Former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright has agreed to plead guilty to three federal charges — conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation — according to court and DOJ filings. Wright, who served as sheriff for more than 20 years and resigned in May 2025 citing a health diagnosis, is accused in court documents of using the chaplain’s benevolence fund and other public funds for personal benefit, including obtaining 147 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills from the sheriff’s office drug takeback program. Former chaplain Amos Durham and former employee Lawson Berry Watson have pleaded guilty to related counts; prosecutors allege Durham siphoned money from the benevolence fund and provided Wright a blank check to buy drugs, while Watson received about $200,000 in pay for work he did not perform. The plea agreements follow federal and state investigations — including an FBI probe and reviews by the State Law Enforcement Division and the State Ethics Commission — and reporting by The Post and Courier that flagged suspicious spending and employment records. The defendants face forfeiture of proceeds and are scheduled to appear in court to formally enter their guilty pleas.