SPARTANBURG -- Before resigning from his 20-year stint as Spartanburg County's longest-serving sheriff, Chuck Wright briefly returned to the office following weeks on paid leave.
His return came after he received a letter from Chief Deputy Billy Parris dated May 15 that said Wright would no longer be paid if he remained on leave. At the time, Parris was in charge of the office during Wright's absence.
County officials previously told The Post and Courier that the decision to withhold pay was based on an opinion from the Attorney General's Office. Parris' letter, which the newspaper obtained through a records request, sheds more light on the reasoning.
On April 1, as federal agents were investigating Wright, he told his command staff that he was taking a leave of absence.
The decision was sudden, and county council members had only a few hours of notice before the news went public. County officials said Wright was stepping down for an undisclosed medical issue.
Parris was left in charge in Wright's stead.
But Wright, despite making more than $200,000, continued to get paid while he was away. County officials reached out to the attorney general’s office to ask whether he should keep getting his check.
The answer was no.
On May 15, Parris sent Wright a letter detailing the county’s findings.
“The Attorney General’s Office advised that the law does not provide for a leave of absence unless specifically authorized by the Legislature,” Parris wrote. “Additionally, South Carolina law does not provide for leave accrual for elected officials or constitutional officers. As a result, the County is unable to pay you during your leave of absence.”
The letter said that within 10 days the county would “stop providing you compensation until you return to duty.” It added that Wright should contact the county’s human resources department to discuss health insurance options during the period without pay.
“During your leave of absence, you are not reporting for duty or responding to incidents,” Parris’ letter continued. “Therefore, your County issued property (vehicle, firearms, keys, etc.) should be returned to the Sheriff’s Office until such time as your return from the leave of absence.”
The next day, May 16, Wright returned to the office. A week later, he resigned.
The FBI investigation is ongoing. Agents have been asking about Wright’s spending, his alleged drug use, his employment of a distant cousin, Lawson Berry “L.B.” Watson and former department chaplain Amos Durham.
Spartanburg County Council has also cut funding to the sheriff’s office aviation program due to Wright’s reported personal use of the helicopters.
And a letter dated June 12 revealed possible state charges that Wright and Durham could face.
After Wright resigned, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeffery Stephens to serve as interim sheriff until voters elected a replacement.
The Republican Primary is scheduled for Aug. 5. No Democrats filed for the seat.