Spartanburg Sheriff Chuck Wright pleads guilty to stealing pills, money
A South Carolina sheriff who embezzled from his department’s own benevolent fund, stole oxycodone pills from a drug give back program and created a fake position that paid his friend roughly $200,000 for nonexistent work has pleaded guilty.
Chuck Wright was in his sixth term as sheriff of Spartanburg County when he was charged and forced to resign from his position. Wright was the 16th South Carolina sheriff to have been charged with a crime since 2010.
In a statement provided by his court, Wright apologized and asked for forgiveness from his community, saying he “broke the sacred trust the people of Spartanburg County placed in me. I do not have the words to adequately convey my remorse, my apologies, and my regret.”
Wright entered his plea in a U.S. District Court in Spartanburg on Thursday morning. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
“I offer no excuses for my actions. I accept full responsibility. I am prepared to accept whatever punishment is meted out by the court,” Wright said.
Before he was formally charged in September, Wright signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors agreeing to plead guilty to engaging in a conspiracy to steal federal funds, conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation.
“Using public funds to finance his private lifestyle, Wright abused his position as elected Sheriff of Spartanburg County to siphon money from Spartanburg County,” read the charging document in the case.
Wright stole approximately $28,000 from his department’s Benevolence Fund, which was set up to provide financial assistance to employees of the Spartanburg Sheriff’s Office, to fund his own lifestyle. The former sheriff used the stolen money to pay for travel, food, clothing and controlled substances, among other items, according to court records.
In 2023, Wright also obtained 147 pain pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone by misrepresenting that he was collecting the pills for a ‘’take back” narcotics disposal program, when he “was obtaining the controlled substance for his own personal use,” the information said.
Following his arraignment Oct. 27, Wright was granted a $25,000 bond and ordered to attend a drug treatment program.
Two other men, Amos Durham and Lawson Watson, were charged along with Wright.
Wright had hired Durham as director of the Benevolence Fund. According to charging documents, Durham used his position to help Wright steal from the office’s fund.
In 2021, Wright also hired Watson and for four years paid him approximately $200,000 for work the sheriff knew Watson was not doing, according to court records.
Wright was a popular sheriff who won his last election in 2024 with more than 86% of the vote. Originally from Startex, a mill community outside of Spartanburg, Wright said in his statement that he had left an abusive home to live in a fire department at the age of 16.
He joined the sheriff’s office in 1986 as a deputy.
“Serving in law enforcement was all I ever wanted to do; indeed, it is all I have ever known,” Wright said.
He was first elected sheriff in 2004 and became known for his strongly pro-law enforcement and conservative positions.
In 2020, Wright drew criticism for saying that his deputies had “every right” to shoot at two Black men who were believed to have shot at law enforcement. The charges were later dropped when it was determined that there was not enough evidence to say that the two men were the shooters.
In his statement, Wright said that being elected sheriff was the “highlight” of his professional life.
“Because of the goodness and generosity of the people of Spartanburg, I lived the American dream... I squandered that dream job through my actions, and for that I simply ask that the people of Spartanburg and my brothers and sisters in law enforcement forgive me and know that I will spend whatever time I have left trying to make amends.”
Wright was represented by attorneys Greg Harris and Trey Gowdy, former congressman and solicitor from Spartanburg.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Cain presided over the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Allen Morris and Justin Holloway represented the United States Attorneys Office for South Carolina.
This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 11:51 AM.