BCSO News
We can’t help but wonder if the Governor is politically tone deaf or if she is just shying away from the inevitable controversy a clean sweep of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is destined to bring. Instead of bringing in someone from the outside the Governor chose to appoint an insider. On Wednesday she appointed C.W. “Butch” Henerey as interim sheriff. Henerey, former Chief Deputy of BCSO, retired after the primary election last year. While reviews of Henerey from citizens, politicians and law enforcement appear to be largely in favor of his appointment and his qualifications as a “nice guy”, we have our reservations.
Yes, he might be a great guy. Yes, he has a lot of experience. Yes, he is familiar with the inner workings of BCSO. And therein lies the problem.
Henerey has been by DeWitt’s side since before he won his first election. He has worked for and with DeWitt since he took over as sheriff in the 1990’s. As a result, we can all safely assume Henerey knows where the bodies are buried and plenty of other secrets regarding the dirty deals and dirty birds at BCSO. Even if he didn’t participate in those dealings, his presence there for 20 years calls the question. Can you really hold a position of authority for 20 plus years in a department known for numerous ethical lapses, mismanagement and outright corruption and not be aware of or tainted by it? That is a question the Governor apparently failed to consider. In spite of what folks think of Henerey as a person, his appointment only serves to the perpetuate the good ol’ boy impression of government and politics in Berkeley County and the state of South Carolina.
One thing we can be sure of with this appointment, however. Don’t count on there being a complete audit or thorough investigation of alleged wrongdoing or mismanagement prior the election of a new sheriff. Given the list of candidates said to be running for the office now, we doubt there will be one.
We have been MIA for the past couple of days because we have been digging into the plethora of candidates who have suddenly materialized. We have received a ton of correspondence from folks who know these people. We have found that every candidate except for one has ties to either Wayne DeWitt or BCSO. This explains why none of these candidates have ever stepped forward to challenge DeWitt prior to this. Every one of these candidates are now claiming changes need to be made, but none of them would say that while their pal DeWitt was running the show. That says a lot about them. Several of the candidates have some serious ethical issues of their own.
A couple of the self-professed candidates really have no chance. Franco Fuda, currently police “chief” in Bonneau announced his intention to run at a breakfast meeting of the Berkeley County Republican Party. He is not a serious contender and will end up staying in Bonneau writing tickets for “obscene” bumper stickers to 70 year old women or chasing down folks who have Bulls Balls hanging from their trailer hitch. Fuda has not yet registered with the State Ethics Commision.
We have seen the name Shane Judy mentioned as a possible contender in the comments section of several local news sites. Judy used to work with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Our law enforcement sources tell us when he got a job as a contractor in the Middle East he put all his gear in his patrol vehicle, locked it up in the parking lot and told his supervisors where to find the SCHP property. Then he walked. We are told Judy couldn’t understand why SCHP would not re-hire him when he came back to the U.S. He is currently a Moncks Corner police officer. He has yet to register with the State Ethics Commission.
The current chief of the St. Stephens P.D. has announced his desire to run. John Waters isn’t well known to many outside of law enforcement and they don’t seem to hold a very high opinion of him. Waters has accumulated $500 for his campaign coffers.
Lt. Will Rogers of BCSO is making noise about running. He has deep family ties to BCSO since his father was sheriff of Berkeley County when he was indicted by the FBI for taking bribes from agents posing as members of the Mafia in 1981. Corruption in Berkeley County is so well known the FBI had even heard organized crime members in New York discussing it, so they initiated an investigation that resulted in the charges against Sheriff James Rogers. Sheriff James Rogers entered a guilty plea, but was eventually pardoned by another crook, President William Jefferson Clinton. Can you blame the son for the sins of the father? Probably not, but being raised in that corrupt environment and his support of DeWitt says a lot to us. Will Rogers has not yet registered with the State Ethics Commision.
One of the most surprising announcements is that of former BCSO captain Ricky Driggers. He “retired” from BCSO several years ago, allegedly due to health reasons. We are told those health reasons had something to do with the doubt he could survive in prison. Driggers seems to have a lot of supporters pushing the “health” issues as the reason for his retirement. We find that strange since we have talked to several people to whom Driggers has told a different story.
The narrative he has been telling for the past few years is that he retired under threat of indictment due to an FBI investigation into irregularities arising out of his mismanagement of the narcotics unit. The FBI tends to frown on things like money missing from drug dealers, planted evidence, the failure to obtain search warrants before raids and various and sundry other ethical lapses. The way Driggers tells the story, the indictments were quashed when he agreed to retire from law enforcement and never return. You have to wonder how long he will last now that he has shown his intention to violate an agreement he willingly tells people he made with the feds. Or has Driggers been lying to people? Driggers has yet to file with the State Ethics Commission.
Current Moncks Corner police chief Chad Caldwell has announced his intention to run. Caldwell has been chief at Moncks Corner since he was ushered out the door at North Charleston P.D. years ago. Prior to that he was a SLED agent said to be in a rather untenable position with SLED Chief Stewart when Mickey Whatley brought him into NCPD as a Captain. He was made chief at NCPD when Whatley was run off due to politics. His run appears to be a political ploy by Bill Peagler, his former boss at Moncks Corner who was recently elected to the position of Berkeley County Supervisor and who has been trying to surround himself with cronies since he was sworn in. We are told Caldwell has some currently unspecified domestic issues that will likely be brought out if he runs. We can’t wait to hear about that. We can’t help but wonder when we will hear about Caldwell resigning as Chief of the Moncks Corner Police Department as required if he truly plans to run for sheriff of Berkeley County. Caldwell has registered with the ethics commission but has reported no contributions as of this morning.
Chief Deputy Rick Ollic of BCSO has also been making noises about wanting to be sheriff. We are told he isn’t well liked by citizens or the rank and file of BCSO who tell us he talks to them like they are dogs and treats them like crap. He is not a serious candidate and has not registered yet with the State Ethics Commission.
Solon Dewayne Lewis appears to be the preferred candidate of Wayne DeWitt. We have been told DeWitt has been making appearances at several black churches in what has been termed an “apology tour” in which DeWitt is pushing Lewis as his replacement. They have appeared at a church in Alvin and are scheduled to appear at Charity Church in Huger. The fact that DeWitt is pushing for Lewis should automatically disqualify him in the eyes of any voter with common sense. We are told Lewis is currently working security at Santee Cooper. Contributions to Lewis’ campaign thus far are shown below.
We previously reported on the irregularities involving local attorney Donald “Donnie” Gamache with regard to recent events in Berkeley County. We reported on the friendship between H. Wayne DeWitt and Gamache, the fact that Gamache was once a deputy working for DeWitt and plays Shriner games with him. We discussed the fact that Gamache was instrumental in obtaining a statement from Justice Jenkins, the Hanahan police officer who pursued the drunken DeWitt, in which the officer changed his story from “pursuing” to simply “following”. In addition to being DeWitt’s pal, Gamache is also the personal attorney of Officer Jenkins. Anyone see any ethical violations there? We certainly do.
We mentioned the possible reasons behind that change in the officer’s narrative and the pressure that may have been applied to get him to write that statement. We also reported on the statement of Hanahan’s Chief Cochran to SLED agents. Cochran indicated when Gamache delivered the officer’s statement he said to the Chief, “Wayne really appreciates the way ya’ll are handling this.”
Gamache is a factor in this special election because he has been seen squiring around potential candidate for sheriff Marty Housand. We asked whether such an ethically challenged link to the former sheriff could be overlooked by Berkeley County voters. We decided to poke around at the SC State Ethics Commission website and found some very interesting stuff. Of the $8,900 given to Housand by campaign contributors $4,000 of it came from Gamache via a personal contribution, contributions in the names of his family members and a contribution from his law firm. Housand retired from SCHP and served as the police chief in Santee for less than a year before he was “forced out” by Mayor Donnie Hilliard.
Danny Isgett is also running for the office of Berkeley County sheriff. He is currently a lieutenant with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. His father was the Berkeley County sheriff between the last term of convicted felon M.C. Cannon and the beginning of the DeWitt era. Ray Isgett is the sheriff who initially succeeded in demoting DeWitt and eventually running him out of BCSO. We haven’t heard much about Lt. Isgett except that those who know him like him. Isgett has one contribution to his campaign war chest so far, and that came from his brother.
The only candidate with no ties to DeWitt or the previous dealings or administrations at BCSO, and the only one who had the guts to see the need for change and take action on it, is Brian Adams. He is currently a lieutenant with the North Charleston Police Department. Adams was the only serious challenger to DeWitt in the last election. The only people we have heard speak poorly of Adams are those who supported DeWitt in the last election. Their vitriolic reaction to him should serve as a clue for most folks. If the supporters of the ethically challenged candidate attack you for running against their man, they must be afraid of something. Contribution to Adams campaign are show below.
As we have pointed out before, we don’t live in Berkeley County. Due to this, we don’t endorse specific candidates. We will however, point out the issues with the candidates that the your local “news” outlets avoid and let the voters decide.
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Astute and well-written article. It’s hard to see how most people don’t get that there’s something obviously wrong with Haley’s decision. But, then again, if somebody suggested she choose an “outsider,” she’d probably appoint James Metts:) Since he only got probation, he’s available and has tons of experience in corrupt “sheriffing.” Surely, his parole officer would okay a move to Berkley County.
There you go again…I know there is dirt on Brian Adams, but when you are sitting in the picture frame it is hard to see inside the picture especially when Brian and his cronies are behind the”thug articles”. We the public need to be just as ugly as you all are every moment of the day. It will be a cold day in hell before I vote for Adams, Fuda, or Housand! As for the Governers decision to put Henery as acting Sherrif… Please it is only until June. You act like it is an eternity! He is the most qualified at this time to handle the issues that occur. Believe me, when a new sheriff is voted in there will be new audits etc., but it want be by you!
There you go again…posting about dirt on Brian Adams yet you fail to give us any facts we can work with. We dug into every one of the candidates listed here and found questionable behavior and connections for all but two. How about you put up or shut up?
There again, glad you think so highly of you and your cronies. The reason I dislike you Mr. Adams is because all you did in your last campaign was “mudsling”. Enough , tell us what you have done for North Charleston and how you will decrease crime, DUI, gangs in Berkeley county. No one has heard you speak on these subjects….just always want to badmouth anyone else that you see as a threat! So you shut up or put up! Can you? That is the question you should be asking yourself Mr. Adams!
I knew I’d seen this somewhere… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auW0czApXfM
Q N A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTbHYHXr6OI
Q n A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTbHYHXr6OI
Starts at 3:30 runs to about 12:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgXpl0-MNfg
This Q n A goes with that meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60TVpVKNIRI
Here’s what you might be looking for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auW0czApXfM
The Q n A that goes with the above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTbHYHXr6OI
There is also more video from the GOP debate. Don’t be ignorant.
Funny I never heard him “mudsling’ one time!!!
Where is the proof of this “dirt” you speak of??!!?? I think you are Dewitt which is why you are hiding like a coward behind a false name!! Great way to prove your point is by hiding like a coward!! Go have another drink you bum!!
Please expand on the “dirt” on Brian Adams??!!? Because I think your full of it!!
post facts and your real name coward!! Or is this Dewitt??!!? You bum, go have another drink!!
I’d be happy to collaborate with you on a Q&A article for your website to share the facts and my vision for making BCSO the best in the state.
Great! Shoot us an email at [email protected] to get the process started.
Best thing for Mr. Driggers to do is stay out of it!!
Don’t worry about “thug life” Ricky, so many citizens that I know personally are ready, willing & ready for their votes to place you above this media drama. That’s soon to be SHERIFF RICKY DRIGGERS! I know you & your compassion for the citizens of Berkeley County. In fact I know 4 of the 6 candidates in the running for sheriff personally by name & by face. I know so many of them have fallen short of their chosen profession to be in law enforcement. I know 2 that have fallen so short
they keep sweeping their dirt under the rug as they hold a “Chiefs” rank. They may have a higher authority to answer to like the Mayor.
However the higher ups in those area are still a major part of what I grew up knowing as ” the good ole boys” system. The elite mafia of Berkeley County. Which needs a major overhaul of corrupt employees that have a broom & do alot of sweeping themselves!
Goodluck to you Ricky, The Man To Make Change!
Ricky Driggers can’t file; it requires him to fill out paperwork somewhere that has the word Ethics in its name.
Surprised and saddened to read the concerns and innuendos written here about Moncks Corner police chief Caldwell at this point in his life and career. I thought he might have been one the good guys in Berkley County law enforcement; now perhaps not
Don’t believe everything you see on this site. There are hidden agendas to get you to dislike all of the other candidates for Sheriff.
This is clearly a “Brian Adams” for Sheriff article. I refuse to vote for ANY candidate that has to sling mud in an effort to gain votes. And If you haven’t found any “dirt” on Adams, you obviously have not dug too deep because no one is perfect.
FROM WHAT I KNOW OF MR CALDWELL, YOU DO NOT WANT HIM FOR SHERIFF.
I know that Berkeley County is one of the biggest counties
in the state and now I think it has officially earned the name of the county
with the most bull shitters in it.
I realize it’s “politics” but it’s pretty sad when you have to result to “mud slinging” in an attempt to gain the communities votes. It’s pretty obvious who is behind this article. Even Ray Charles could see it. Sorry, but it’s really hard to have any respect for someone like this. North Charleston has one of the worst crime rates in SC…can anyone give some insight on what exactly Lt. Brian Adams has done to help clean up the streets of North Charleston? Try cleaning up your own back yard before promising to clean up another.
Very good point! Finally someone else with good values and common sense has posted to this site!
Hypocrite much? How are you going to rant about mud slinging and then start your own mud slinging? You don’t even do it against one single person that you probably don’t even know, you’re doing it against a whole agency. Print something you can back up if you have it, but don’t drag men and women doing their jobs into it just because you’re butt hurt about DeDrunk being gone.
Mud slinging? The last time I checked, I’m not running for Sheriff so I have no mud to sling. I simply stated show me where Lt. Adam has put some sort of action in place to clean up the very city he works for. North Charleston has one of the highest crime rates in the state. I have no ties to the former Sheriff and he should be treated the same as an other who has broken the law. I have the upmost respect for the men and woman that serve our counties, state and country. For the individuals that lack class and what to try to sling mud to make their own self look better than the rest of the candidates? Not so much.
I am suspicious that ^ him and ^^ himself are Hi-fiving itself.
So your website attacks BCSO, Scarlett Wilson, SLED,the Governer, the post and courier,and all 3 local news outlets yet you praise Brian Adams every chance you get. No mention of the terrible crime rate in north charleston where Adams is a lieutenant. You have referred to the citizens of Berkeley county as idiots for the way they vote. I am much safer in Berkeley county than I will ever be in north charleston. The people in Berkeley are not stupid like you infer so go ahead and change your name from charleston thug life to “Brian Adams for sheriff”.
Please show us where we have praised or even slightly endorsed Brian Adams. You won’t, because you can’t. All we have ever said about him is we can’t find any dirt on him. We said the same thing about Danny Isgett. You seem to overlook that in your zeal to get yourself a DeWitt crony in there and keep your job. Are you one of the dirty birds? All we do is publish the information sent to us by citizens that is verifiable. If you have some verifiable dirt on either of the two candidates we didn’t find any on, feel free to send it to us and we’ll publish it.
I don’t know anything about Mr. Adams. Heck I voted for him in the last election because I didn’t like Dewitt but all you do is attack Berkeley county and its people. The high crime rate in north charleston is always the solicitors or the judges fault. It’s never n.charleston police departments fault. I very well could be wrong but it sounds like your pushing for Mr. Adams very hard.
Not my website, I’m just a visitor like you. So I have not made any attacks on anyone, not even you, I just simply pointed out the fact that you were being a hypocrite. As far as I can see the only thing Adams has done is run for a position that he has every right to run for, and that seems to intimidate you for some reason. If you don’t want him to get it then fork over the money and run yourself. It doesn’t take a genius to surmise that you work at the Sheriff’s Office, and bringing the entire north charleston police department into your vendetta makes no sense to me. Hopefully everyone will realize that you are just a single employee, and not a reflection on your whole agency. Way to besmirch 2 different agencies, you should be very proud.
I’m so glad others are seeing this post for what it is worth. And like I previously said, Ray Charles can see who is behind this article. It’s not rocket science. Let’s bash nearly every candidate, and not be able to find any dirt on Brian Adams…right, right…right…
And the shit-slinging has begun.
To those that choose to hide like cowards behind fake or false names, shut your trap nail you could be a real man or woman and post not only facts but with your real name behind it!! They did that once, way back in grade school!!!
I don’t know what a trap nail is, so I’m not going to attempt to shut it Mike. CTL lets people vent and give their opinions about things, and sometimes those people don’t have the luxury of putting their name and sometimes they may not want the hassle of someone tracking them down if a response isn’t agreed with. You holler about only putting facts and then give your ASSumption that one person posting is DeWitt. I think that’s totally absurd since he’s already shown he didn’t give a damn about those employees, so why would he get involved now? Either come off your high horse or giddy up and move along.
Hey mike, you are nothing but one of Adams little cronies from north charleston. I see your Facebook page full of Brian Adams for sherrif post. Maybe you can get Brian to quit hiding behind the name chief and having you post garbage like him.
Do I need to give you the get off your high horse speech too “Donnie”? Are you that concerned that you’re trolling other people’s Facebook accounts to see who they support? Use whatever name Ya fancy, but Ray Charles and Helen Keller could see that “Donnie”, “Berk. Co Resident” “berkeley citizen” and “Bryan Adams” have very similar infatuations if not genes, and are helping prove my thought that you work for Berkeley. At least make it sound plausible that it’s more than just you…Wonder how many candidates are gonna be happy with you for making voters decide they don’t want a candidate that was ever employed there?
Just proving a fact that everyone on here that’s talking crap about the candidates from Berkeley county are Brian Adam supporters. Got news for you pal, a north charleston cop will never win a Berkeley county race and you can take that to the bank.
Interim B.C. Sheriff Henerey has promised Gov. Nikki Haley that he will not run for the special election and “the Sheriff’s Office will not get involved in the process at all,” he said. So how is that going to work when Ollic throws his fat hat in the ring?
I attended the meeting at Berkeley Electric last night, and listened to 15 candidates introduce themselves and answer questions. The 3 I liked best, in order, are: Adams, Fuda and Isget. I liked Lewis too, but these were my personal top 3. I’ll be doing a little more research before I cast my ballot. I’ve never been involved in politics, but this election is an opportunity for Berkeley Co to get rid of the “good ol boy”mentality.
Interesting that because you can’t find dirt on Adams, they accuse you of being him. Umm, I recall after the election, Dewitt complained to NCPD, and Mr. Adams handed his phone to the Chief , and gave permission for him to go look at his home and work PCs with no notice, and offered to do a polygraph. I wouldn’t say he was behind it. At least the Chief at NCPD can see beyond the bs. Those cronies at bcso top brass are so concerned about losing their jobs and having audits performed that they are running scared! They’re pushhing a ton of candidates and mud at Mr. Adams, hoping to get something to stick. I know one thing, the Adams you see on public is the same one you see personally and professionally, and he knows what needs to be done to fix Berkeley County. I know many of the candidates, and the of them personally, only one other I’d possibly vote for. Do your research and even ask people who work with them about them.