Midlands sheriff's employee stole money from sex offender registry, SLED says

A former employee of the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office was arrested after investigators say she pocketed public money, according to a S.C. Law Enforcement Division statement.

Samantha West Connell, 34, would collect money from registered sex offenders while working as an administrative assistant at the sheriff's office and keep it for herself, according to her arrest warrant.

During an audit of the county, investigators noticed no money had been deposited into the Sex Offender Registry Fund, which Connell was in charge of.

Though an exact missing amount was never released, investigators say it's less than $10,000.

Connell was charged with embezzlement of public funds