The S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating a traffic stop involving the son of a councilman in Wagener, South Carolina – a small, rural town in Aiken County. In face one source at the agency tells FITS there’s an even broader probe underway into other incidents of “selective” law enforcement.
News of the traffic stop – first reported by FITS – involved the son of councilman George Smith, who was pulled over Saturday night traveling 70 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone. In addition to speeding, Smith’s son was also reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time he was pulled over.
Now, for the sake of argument let’s assume that (God forbid) you were driving through Wagener, S.C. late one evening at more than twice the speed limit – drunk off your ass.
Do you seriously think the cops would let you off?
Hell no … you’d have been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and have been given a $200 ticket for speeding. And you’d have spent the night in the pokey.
But Smith’s son wasn’t arrested – nor was he given a ticket. He wasn’t even administered a field sobriety test. In fact he was permitted to get into his parents’ car and travel home with them – at the councilman’s request.
Wow …
Anyway, sources tell FITS the SLED probe is focused on a much bigger problem.
“The police pour out liquor and pocket drugs when they catch someone,” one source told us. “No one knows what the police are doing with the drugs … it is a wide open town.”
There are even rumors that officers in nearby Swansea, S.C. are involved in some sort of “jurisdictional tradeoff” regarding seized drugs.
Our source at SLED confirmed there was a “Swansea component” to the agency’s investigation, but declined to specify the nature of that connection.
Obviously this website supports the decriminalization of all drugs – but the liberty to get high does not extend to individuals operating a motor vehicle. Moreover we cannot have law enforcement selectively applying the existing laws – no matter how much we disagree with those laws.
Anyway, count on FITS to keep our readers in the loop on this latest example of small town South Carolina corruption …
26 comments
follow up with Lexington County Ring? Video poker machines that got seized in the warehouse? Or JD Clowney taking money from jay z while driving a BMW convertible?
Lexington Ring is free to roam with “lawenforcement on lockdown”, remember Frazier’s quote!
SLED (Chief Keel) had Frazier’s secretly recorded audio tape for how long, 6 months to a year and sat on it until excerpts were printed by Free Times, Fits News and Jody Barr on WIS. Keel feeling the “lock down” ( sitting on crime and corruption heat) then started an investigation.
Remember Frazier bragged about his connections to high officials: Sen, Knotts (Jean Toal and Congressman Wilson connections), Mayor Benjamin, Sen. Cromer, Sheriff Metts and is butt buddies with Mayor Halfacre, Mayor Owens, former Lt. Governor Bob Peeler (Senator Harvey Peeler and Jean Toal and Congressman Wilson connections), former SLED 2 Tim James.
The Ring is home free with their connections and associations (“get out of jail free cards”).
I wonder if the Ring have any of these officials, associates or other high ranking officials, on their own video tapes. The affidavit given to the FBI alleges Sex parties, drugs, etc. It would tend to keep these officials in the Rings pockets, if this were the case? How many would want a tape like this to be anonomously made public…prostitutes, drugs, gambling and even alleged other possible crimes?
Very mafiaesque aren’t we.
Just a reminder that Stace needs to come back as sheriff.
I’m just happy that Steve Macdougal will be the new mayor.
Amen Brother, Amen!!!!!!!!
if Halfacre is reelected those lexington Co. meth labs have permeated the brains of all in the town. Halfacre and Frazier are too close. A vote for Halfacre, is the same aas a proxy vote for Frazier.
The Town and it’s leadership is a joke and we must have change in order to right the ship, if not we’re sunk in very deep and treacherous waters!!
I walked into a store the other day, while waiting, in line, to make a purchase, they placed a Halfacre sign in the window. When they asked if they could help me, I told them NO THANKS, my money would go to someone who didi not support such a corrupt, incompetent failure, with moral and ethics laoses, as Halfacre.
I will not go back!
I see Half-wit’s fat ass at the gym sporting his re-election t-shirt. Makes me wanna puke everytime I see him. Hopefully the new mayor will get rid of the police chief and asst chief. (Green/Koon)
It appears Half-wit and his band of thugs are busy. Steve McDougald’s large campaign sign on Andrew Corley Road was damaged and removed. Nothing but splintered wood remaining.
Will this take valuable resources away from the imminent indictments in the Horry County corruption caes?
SLED
“Slovenly Law Enforcement with erectile Dysfunction”
I’m shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you that officers are pocketing dope. That never happens. They also never pocket drug dealer money either.
The police are corrupt? No Way….
You can bet that SLED is pissed.
Yet another case that has to be white washed.
They’ll send some people out, do some interviews, and two years later when no one bothers to follow up the investigation will end with no prosecution.
This is a text book example of how good cops get pushed out in jurisdictions where bad cops rule.
Officer Naive gets his job and immediately notices that most of his colleagues are corrupt. He tries to keep his head down and do the right thing, but then something like this comes up and he gets squashed.
The corrupt politician threatens his job through his corrupt boss/Captain, Officer Naive reports it to SLED hoping for someone to do the right thing. SLED does the surface level bullshit investigation to pretend something will happen all the while Officer Naive’s boss(s) are combing through his records for citizen complaints or other behavior with which they can discredit/fire him.
Officer Naive, in most cases, is now not naive. He feels the sudden coldness of the majority of his corrupt colleagues and especially his boss. If he’s clean, he eventually quits and goes to the private sector because his work environment is hostile beyond the normality of police work.
If he’s made even the slightest mistake, he gets shit canned even if overall he was a decent cop.
Either way the decent cop eventually leaves and the corruption remains.
Happens every day and lots of places.
“Happens every day and lots of places” — includes several state agencies.
Because some of us were not only honest, but chose to fight basck, we were “reassigned” (I was, to an empty room with a folding chair and a small table) because we had clean recvors, and the “internal audit” people could not come up with dismissable conduct.
I, myself, was paid my regular paycheck for nearly a year (for doing absolutely nothing) before I decided the juice just wasn’t worth the squeeze, and took retirement. In some ways (and apparently in many cases) “retirement” can be defined as “being paid to stay away.”
edit: “back”
edit again: “records”
Got to feel sorry for him. Either way the favor accepting Preacher Councilman has got to get rid of the cop. He would always know the truth and this town can’t stand the truth. I heard a lady wondering how a town would rather put up with a crooked mayor, ethical violating council members than give a young guy a chance to be Mayor. I asked what’s their problem and she said. One is the favorite local boy and they don’t mind his being corrupt cause he will rake leaves around town. Sadly it hasn’t dawned on them the town would have money if he hadn’t misspent it to hire someone that would rake. The new guy in town that is shut out of the council, they said he doesn’t know how to be Mayor. Seems he could learn while the other one has learned how the good ole boy system works.
We have elected dictators not public servants. The public serves those we elect!
SC has the best money can buy.
WOW!!! http://voices.yahoo.com/spartanburg-sc-clerk-court-marc-kitchens-arrested…
Remove the “http:\”
Try again to get it right, Cynthia.
voices.yahoo.com/spartanburg-sc-clerk-court-marc-kitchens-arrested….
Anyway, just google marc kitchens sc and read about the clerk of court in Spartanburg who stole and sold all the drugs with which he was entrusted. I mean, this was a guy who was very active in his church, you know, a real family guy turned drug lord.
Remember Hitler loved animals. I was working for a lady the Wagener Mayor called and jumped on thinking she had something to do with signs telling people to stay away from MM Tax. Two women were recommended to go see instead of MM Tax by an unhappy customer. The Mayor’s tax lady was one and my boss was the other. Neither one had done it but he assumed it was my boss. Wasn’t long before the other tax lady called her and jumped on her too. She had to leave and go look to see what they were talking about. Her problem was she isn’t from Wagener. So I guess local born are allowed to be crooks and idiots and get by with breaking the law. While the ones not from here will get arrested and jumped on for nothing.
My boss, she just laughed and blew them off. I am trying.
This happens all the time in the Town of Lexington. Amber was arrested for public intoxication by a Town officer. Councilman Frazier and a police supervisor came on scene and “unarrested” her by removing her handcuffs after taking her out of the backseat of the police vehicle. Dont believe it? Ask chief Green, he knows all about it.