FORMER LEXINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF AVOIDS JAIL TIME ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CHARGES
By FITSNEWS || As we predicted, former Lexington County (S.C.) Sheriff James Metts has reached a plea deal with the federal government that will enable him to avoid jail time on the first round of charges filed against him … assuming a judge signs off on the deal.
According to the agreement he reached with prosecutors, Metts will receive three years probation for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens.
(Wait … harboring illegals … is that still a crime?)
Metts had been facing up to ten years in prison after being slapped with a ten-count federal indictment. He becomes the third prominent public figure to avoid jail time for public corruption charges in recent years – following former S.C. Lt. Gov. Ken Ard and former S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell.
The longest-serving Sheriff in the Palmetto State, Metts was indicted in June by federal authorities for accepting bribes in exchange for using “his position, power, and influence as Sheriff to interfere with the proper identification and processing of certain illegal aliens detained at the Lexington County detention center.”
Metts originally pleaded not guilty to the charges – and vigorously protested his innocence.
Even after his deal became common knowledge, those close to the veteran lawman refused to believe he was actually pleading guilty.
“I won’t believe it until I hear him say it,” one of Metts’ confidantes told FITS.
Four other individuals have been indicted by S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson for their roles in the “Lexington Ring,” a cabal of crooked cops and corrupt politicians that was relentlessly exposed in 2012-13 by this website.
Meanwhile five of Metts’ subordinates were fired from their posts in the aftermath of the indictment.
Speaking of those subordinates, sources tell FITS the federal government may not be done with its investigation of Metts’ office. Specifically, we’re told a case has been built around the provision of illegal immigrant labor at a local “mega-farm,” rumored to be Rawl Farms of Lexington, S.C.
In fact evidence related to that case is reportedly what provided the government with the leverage it needed to coax a guilty plea out of the stubborn Sheriff.
“They were using Rawl Farms to force Metts to plead and leave office,” a source familiar with the federal investigation tells FITS.
Interesting …
Metts, 68, reportedly used his health issues (he has diabetes as well as a heart condition) to help make the case for probation in lieu of jail time.
JAMES METTS PLEA AGREEMENT (.pdf)
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60 comments
Yeah – justice in South Carolina. You be connected – you be protected.
No kidding. Fatass diabetics get probation, but regular people get prison? That pig needs prison; maybe he’d slim down a bit on prison food.
Someone should tell blacks that if they have diabetes their sentence will be reduced or eliminated.
That should result in a great reduction in SC’s prison population.
Is that why Jim Clyburn and Dick ‘Pootlian are not rotting in jail?
With Jean Toal. Who is protecting her?
What about Kneece and Tuscany or the other Fifedoms? Any word on those??
Like Mark Sanford…he lied about hiking the trail…now he’s a faithful member of the Establishment McCain GOP, bashing America with, Feinstein and Obama…in DC…and his lackey – back in Irmo- hates America, as much as he does…
Go figure…
I knew Obumo was ultimately responsible for this. Thanks for sensibly and logically connecting the dots.
To F*#king imbeciles like you…Obama is responsible for nothing…except when you idiots claim some kind of economic growth or positive news…
Yet you P!$$#d all over yourself w/ glee when Obama vowed to change it all…and transform America into a H#!! for free and decent people…
Mark Sanford was a great man. He’d have stayed with Jenny if she’d have put out and may bobbed for apples. Instead he found him some hot Latin love and he was happy. But Jenny just couldn’t stand that – and she had to ruin that too. Sometimes I think you’re Jenny.
I think Jenny “put out” tons of h er families money to get SANFRAUD where he was.
Money can’t buy you love….. can’t buy you looooove….. everybody told me so…….
Are you saying those are not her children, or are you just a Dumb@$$???
Don’t you have a blog that’s being neglected?
You’re an idiot!
Are you saying those are not her children, or are you just a Dumb@$$???
Not a biology major, are you?….idiot…
Probably when Rocky uses the phrase “put out” he means, “recently and regularly” and not, “a few times,10 or 20 years ago.”
GrandTango. What is that? Mexican for one fucked up idiot? You are one of the most I’ll informed posters that I have ever encountered? Do you even read your bullshit?
Do you proof read yours?
Ooh snap!
Delusional much?
…one of the most I’ll informed posters…
Quick!!
Someone call the Beastie Boys!
Swedish Burrito needs a License to ILL!
How many has he agreed to “roll over’ on to get off with such a light sentence?
What the hell kind of “Justice” department do we have? They go after Arpaio for being an actual Sheriff applying Federal Law and this guy gets a smack on the hand for enabling indentured servitude. You can’t be guilty of harboring something that the White House says doesn’t exist.
Something tells me Mayor Benjamin’s asshole is extra puckered this afternoon.
So he “retired” today, delivering the notice to Trikki Nikki? I’m guessing he was already a Teri employee, retired and receiving pay and state retirement. Does he get to keep his state retirement despite the fact that he used his office to commit and conceal his criminal enterprise?
That he does…
I’m pretty sure he retired in 2003 and has been drawing retirement and a salary since. I’m also pretty sure he raised a great deal of money to run against Beasley and Under the Screwed up Ethics law was allowed to keep all!
Who says crime does not pay!!!!
Just look at Harrell, Metts and others!!
Lady Justice is most often depicted with a set of scales typically suspended from her right hand, upon which she measures the strengths of a case’s support and opposition.
She is also often seen carrying a double-edged sword in her left hand, symbolizing the power of Reason and Justice, which may be wielded either for or against any party.
Since the 15th century, Lady Justice has often been depicted wearing a blindfold. The blindfold represents objectivity, in that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favour, regardless of identity, personal wealth, power, or weakness; blind justice and impartiality.
In South Carolina a butt plug has been added primarly to guard agaisnt the Lady craping all over herself when justice is melted out to individuals like Metts and Harrell
Fucking Cockroaches
…meted out…
thanks
How about Amadio?
In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel
To show that all’s equal and that the courts are on the level
And that the strings in the books ain’t pulled and persuaded
And that even the nobles get properly handled
Once that the cops have chased after and caught ’em
And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom
How about Kinsley Wentzky
WOW,WOW,WOW, You got to be kidding. Metts have 10 counts , gets a plea deal for probation. Williamsburg County Sheriff and his co-defendant have 1 count and get a plea deal for prison time and is forced to go to trial. Metts is dirty as hell , deliberately broke the law and gets to go home with a pension. These other two helped people , that came to trial and testified that they were happy, bought new cars, homes ect.,but they go to prison. If this was reversed Iwould feel the same way. This is wrong and clearly a case of injustice for Michael Johnson and Lester Woods. Makes me sick to my stomach.
What a travesty that this goon can violate federal law, get caught taking money, and then just walk with only a slap on the wrist. WTF?? That surely means Fat Frazier, Amodio, Leon and the other cockroaches will likely walk as well. What the hell is going on around here? Fire Nettles! I’m sure the rest of the cabal is sleeping sound tonight. . . after throwing a party and bringing out all the ho’s and video poker machines. Why not? Nettles and Wilson aren’t going to do a damn thing.
“Rednexington”
Too true.
I have questions and wonder if any one knows:
1..Mett’s number two for a while was Tim James, then SLED #2, then Lexington medical’s replacement for Nikki Haley. He was a close, very close associate of Danny Frazier (kingpin of illegal gambling ring) campaigned for Frazier also.
2) Dennis Tindle was another associate of Frazier, James, Metts. he was mentioned, by Frazier along with Metts. Also campaigned for Frazier.
3) Bob Peeler is also a close associate of James, Metts, Frazier, Tindle, brother of Senate 2 Harvey Peeler and paramour to Donna Gulledge, who is closely related to Jean Toal (I think Niece).
4) All of the above are/were intertwined with former Mayor Halfacre and Mayor Owens.
I hear rumors and wonder how many, if any, of these people are involved with, or have helped Frazier and Metts avoid the scales of justice? They have seemed to skate fairly well under the circumstances of their sins and criminal activities?
The corruption and connections in Lexington County seem to run wide and deep!
As closely associated, as many of the aforementioned were, hard for me to believe they were all oblivious to these illegal and immoral goings on?
They attended ball games together, vacationed together, campaigned together, drank /caroused and partied together often.
How have any others missed the silver bracelets and have these connections blocked them from the justice the rest of us commoners would have suffered?
Does anyone have info on any of this?
I wonder?
It’s like if your pastor at the Universalist Unitarian Church gets arrested for molesting little boys (they don’t think there’s anything wrong w/ that.) Because he is a homosexual pedophile (that seems to be a prominent thing – gay priests, Sandusky- are you also abusing little boys…???
It’s not impossible, but it’s the height of @$$-backward, doofus ignorance to assume because one person knows the next, that the associate is guilty of everything their friend has done.
Not calling you an idiot…because there could be some connection…but to assume there is, based on so little support, makes you look stupid.
If you lived in Lexington and had witnessed these drunken dregs for the last 20 years, you would be wonder about these connections also. These people openly talk of and brag of their connections. Frazier was caught on tape doing just that!
GT you are the pot CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK !!….STUPID!
Careful, GT. One of Jean Toal’s backroom heavy hit women is second in command at Her ODC and is a “leader” in the local Universalist Unitarian Church on Woodrow Street. That woman will do anything for Queen Jean. You don’t want to make them angry.
Bob Peeler and his adulterous gal pal Donna worked the polls for Frazier. I saw them myself! They are/were very, very close, even next door neighbors and took a vacation together shortly before Frazier was taped!
Halfacre continued support until the heat was turned up and he saw his political future in trouble.
Rawl Farms Produce
http://www.rawlfarms.com/#!produce
They grow cucumbers. Guess he got into a bit of a pickle.
His allies are going to have to eat and pay for this Sweetheart deal. Roll on Jimmy and roll over. That’s the deal he made.
Can you even imagine how much they must hate big-mouth Frazier now?
When do they pry Big Oink’s name off the pork palace there in Lexington?
The out of sight streamside sodomy salon that bears his name on the Saluda might as well stay named after him though.
So another corrupt sheriff and politician has received little to no punishment for decades of corruption.
At least tell us voters that the lexington sheriffs department and county council will remove james metts’ name off the sheriff’s department and off the boat ramp.
Lets see what the owners of Rawl Farms in Lexington have to say about this,, feel free to make a call to Spanky Rawl @ 803-359-4415.
Why don’t you just do that!!
Jimmy Metts, just like Leon Lott in Richland County, received the MOST FAVORABLE MEDIA TREATMENT possible. The media treats the local sheriffs like gods as long as they give them the gory details on local crime (which is about all the State newspaper does these days).
If and when the Feds ever get to the Richland County Sheriffs Department they will throw half of them in jail, with Leon Lott finally being labeled the godfather that he actually is!
Well, the end result is that Jimmy is out of office. We should all thank Stace and Jamie for starting this whole investigations that led to ridding Lexington County of all the problems we have dealt with for so many years. (Knotts, Metts, Kirchner, Frazier, Amidio, Halfacre) Lexington County seems to be a little bit brighter. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a lot more that need to go, but in due time.
Again, Thanks Stace and Jamie. Sorry SLED dropped the silver platter they were handed, but really who would have thought they would do anything anyway.
Good Old Boys take care of their own…..why should anyone be surprised!!
Not so fast, deal rejected!
Jimmy’s going to end up in the pokey. I wonder how many friends he’ll bring with him?
By not getting the deal, the defense has shown the prosecutors it’s cards and now Jimmy’s lawyers are going to have to do whatever they can to get him sentenced to the minimum (10 months).
With the deal thrown out, will he now face all charges against him?
I’m not a legal expert, so maybe one of the lawyers in the forum would like to chime in, but it would seem as though he would to me. I love the idea that this fat tub of shit probably rolled over on everyone he possibly could to keep himself out of jail, and the judge refused to play “good ole boy”.
According to The State he’ll now face all charges.
At this point I doubt Jimmy has any friends. Remember the Federal Indictment was sealed. This usually means there are more indictments coming down.
You and dabo shouldn’t start sucking each other’s dicks just yet
Funny how this whole article is irrelevant now.
Maybe not the whole article. Just the title.
FITS EFFED UP…yet again…LMAO…