|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A former deputy of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) stands accused of accessing and disclosing information about another agency’s ongoing homicide investigation — marking yet another scandal for tone-deaf Upstate sheriff Charles “Chuck” Wright, Jr.
On Friday, December 6, 2024, Avery Dean Hand, 29, was charged with misconduct in office and unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. He was subsequently transported to the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Within hours, the “lawman” was awarded a $5,000 personal recognizance bond on both charges.
According to separation paperwork from the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA), Avery was terminated from his first law enforcement position on May 23, 2024 after accessing information concerning an active Spartanburg Police Department (SPD) homicide case.
***
RELATED | SPARTANBURG SHERIFF SILENT AMID ETHICS PROBE
***
“You accessed information about this case using your in-car computer,” SCSO Lt. William Hopkins wrote in Hand’s termination papers. “It was also determined that the information you accessed was provided to a civilian as well as a person of interest in the homicide.”
Authorities later disclosed that Hand accessed the aforementioned computer in the parking lot of Comfort Suites in Spartanburg, S.C. His contact, whose name was redacted, was allowed to review secure law enforcement records germane to SPD’s investigation.
“Deputy Hand… allowed (the unnamed individual) to read the records,” noted a probable cause affidavit nine months later. “In addition to (redacted) reading information about an unknown subject’s hair and clothing description, Deputy Hand read portions of the reports aloud (sic).”
For feloniously accessing his Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) at 7:13 a.m. on March 27, 2024, Hand was terminated for reasons NOT involving misconduct nearly two months later. The S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was thereupon requested to investigate.
***
Despite maintaining an active law enforcement certification, Hand appears to have returned to the private sector as a “security officer.” According to his LinkedIn profile, the former deputy is employed by AP Professional Security, a locally-owned contract security firm.
The embattled office of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson will prosecute the former SCSO deputy’s case.
Sheriff Wright remains under investigation by the S.C. State Ethics Commission (SCSEC) for personally deputizing his scandal-scarred son, Jared “Andy” Wright, during a ceremony at SCSO headquarters on July 1, 2024.
FITSNews first reported on the sheriff’s nepotistic hire within the week — prompting an inundation of messages relating to his intra-office issues. Sources have since divulged that at least one of Andy’s supervisors was fired for haranguing the “reckless and clueless” deputy.
Compounding SCSO’s bad press cycle was the transfer of 33 pornographic emails pulled from the county’s IP address earlier this year. The .eml files included all manner of recorded bestiality and photographed fellatio, allegedly sent by now-retired SCSO sergeant Robert Allen Wood.
***
RELATED | SPARTANBURG SHERIFF SILENT AMID PORN PROBE
***
A longtime member of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID), Wood appears to have sent his coworker’s hardcore pornography between at least 2007 and 2008. A total of 57 photos, four videos and two external links were pulled from the files provided to FITSNews.
Despite the aforementioned, Sheriff Wright has yet to respond to multiple requests relating to both his SCSEC investigation and his department’s purported proliferation of hardcore pornography as early as 7:55 a.m. on weekdays.
“Sheriff Wright has done too much for too long,” said a former sheriff’s office supervisor earlier this year. “People are starting to get tired of his threats and his intimidation. The boy’s a consistent piece of shit, and his people are starting to come around to that.”
This story may be updated.
***
RECEIPTS…
(SLED)
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
