Prosecutor says single Chester County probe led to charges against Stuart, Underwood.
In a virtual court hearing Friday, Assistant Attorney General Creighton Waters said Kenneth “Shane” Stuart was arrested from the same South Carolina police investigation that led to charges against former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood.
Waters did not link Stuart’s case to Underwood, and provided no details about how the investigation led to Stuart.
Stuart was arrested Sept. 23 on drug and misconduct charges. S.C. Governor Henry McMaster suspended Stuart last week from his dual-roles as Chester County supervisor and chairman of county council. Indictments obtained by The Herald state Stuart trafficked more than 400 grams of meth starting in January and extending through most of 2020.
Stuart faces charges of trafficking meth, manufacturing meth, conspiracy, and misconduct in office. Prosecutors said Stuart used county vehicles to avoid police detection while selling drugs.
Stuart faces a potential of 65 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Underwood was indicted last year by the same South Carolina state grand jury as Stuart, Waters said. Underwood is charged with criminal conspiracy, misconduct in office, embezzlement, forgery, and use of office for financial gain, court documents show. Underwood also is under federal indictment and was suspended from office in May 2019.
Waters said he raised the issue that the one probe involved both men because Stuart has hired Stanley Myers, the defense lawyer who also represents Underwood. Waters said he does not want there to be a conflict in the cases.
Myers, who also was in the court hearing Friday, told Judge DeAndrea Benjamin of Columbia that he sees no conflict in representing the two men. Myers said if a conflict arises, he will tell the judge.
Benjamin also made a decision about possible bail for Stuart.
Waters said Stuart could have trouble physically because of “meth addiction.” He had said in court on Sept. 25 that Stuart would be a threat to himself or others if released.
“Meth addiction is a concern,” Waters said. “A person like this can be more dangerous than a seasoned criminal.”
Stuart had no criminal record.
Myers said he has met with Stuart several times and does not believe Stuart is a risk to himself or others.
“I am satisfied Mr. Stuart is not a suicide risk,” Myers said in court.
Myers said Stuart also is not a flight risk because of his ties to Chester.
“He couldn’t go anywhere out of state or out of the country. This is a very high-profile case,” Myers said.
Benjamin set Stuart’s bond at $75,000.
Stuart will be under house arrest in Chester County and will be required to wear an electronic monitor on his ankle, Benjamin said. Stuart is barred from contact with any Chester County officials.
Benjamin also ordered that Stuart be evaluated by a doctor.
It remains unclear when Stuart will post bond and be released.
Stuart, 47, was first elected in 2015 in a special election and re-elected in 2018 on a four-year term. He has been in jail in Columbia since Sept. 23.
Stuart is a former Chester County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Waters said Stuart sold meth from his county vehicle and was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that dealt meth in Chester and York counties. Police seized meth, drug paraphernalia, and five guns from Stuart’s home in Chester County when Stuart was arrested, Waters said in court.
Two other people, Ace Donovon Hembree, 32, and Brittany Jane Oneppo, 40, are charged with trafficking meth along with Stuart, according to indictments and arrest warrants.
Hembree was the former Chester County animal control director, Waters said. Stuart hired Hembree, Waters said.
The supervisor in Chester County runs county council and is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the county council, for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the county, and for appointing all non-elected county department heads, according to the county website. The county supervisor prepares the county budget and other tasks.
This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Prosecutor says single Chester County probe led to charges against Stuart, Underwood.."
