There will be no indictment(s) of embattled Greenville, South Carolina sheriff Will Lewis today …
That word comes directly from the office of S.C. sixteenth circuit solicitor Kevin Brackett – who inherited this combustible case a week ago in the wake of the scandals swirling around S.C. fifth circuit solicitor Dan Johnson, the prosecutor who was originally supposed to handle it.
Brackett’s office told us it had no announcements planned for Friday regarding Lewis – even though the scandal-scarred sheriff has told multiple sources he is expecting the hammer to fall on him imminently. And even though multiple media outlets in the South Carolina Upstate were expecting Lewis to be indicted yesterday.
It didn’t happen, though …
Still, the Lewis “death watch” is clearly underway … and with good reason.
Last week, this news site detailed some of the latest allegations against Lewis his taxpayer-funded attorney, Lance Sheek. That reported outlined what one source referred to as a “pattern of obstruction and intimidation” of an ongoing S.C. State. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation into Lewis’ leadership of the Greenville County sheriff’s office.
We’re told that’s just the tip of the iceberg, too, although our Upstate law enforcement sources declined to elaborate further as to what additional offenses they believe the ongoing investigation has uncovered.
As was exclusively reported by this news site, SLED’s probe began back in September – days after Lewis was accused in dramatic fashion of sexually assaulting one of his female subordinates, 24-year-old Savannah Nabors (below), on a taxpayer-funded trip to Charlotte, North Carolina last March.
(Click to view)
(Via: Provided)
“This man, who is twice my age, that I looked to for protection … used his power, his authority in his position, and the trust that he had built to coerce me into allowing him into my hotel room on a business trip out of town,” Nabors wrote in a since-deleted blog post. “He forced himself on me. He took advantage of me. He brainwashed me from the moment I met him. It was all a set up. It was all for this moment where he took every last piece of me. And I had nowhere to run.”
“I couldn’t call 9-1-1,” Nabors wrote. “He was ‘9-1-1.’”
Last October, Nabors detailed these allegations further in a bombshell civil suit – news of which was also exclusively reported by our site.
According to Nabors’ pleading, Lewis began to sexually harass her “almost immediately after (she) began her employment” with the sheriff’s office in December 2016. This harassment culminated with the alleged assault in Charlotte.
In addition to a graphic description of Lewis’ alleged sexual assault, Nabors’ lawsuit also contained audio recordings in which Lewis clearly conspired to defraud taxpayers as part of his effort to carry on an extramarital affair with her.
That’s where we drew the line … and when we called on Lewis to step down.
[timed-content-server show=”2018-Jan-17 00:00:00″ hide=”2018-May-18 00:00:00″]
SPONSORED CONTENT – ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
[/timed-content-server]***
Worth noting: SLED isn’t investigating the alleged sexual assault (that investigation is being conducted by the Charlotte-Mecklenberg police department). SLED’s probe is reportedly focused on allegations of harassment, misconduct in office, misappropriation of sheriff’s office resources, obstruction and a host of other allegations against Lewis and Sheek.
Also, as we exclusively reported earlier this week, Nabors could also find herself in SLED’s crosshairs.
So … when does all of this go down?
It’s not clear, but if Lewis is indicted on a crime of moral turpitude he would be automatically suspended from office pending the outcome of the charges against him.
The sheriff obviously believes that day is coming, but so far we’ve received no information from our network of sources as to when it might happen.
As we are wont to say, “developing …”
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our stories? Please feel free to submit your own guest column or letter to the editor via-email HERE. Got a tip for us? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE. Want to support what we’re doing? SUBSCRIBE HERE.
Banner: Text