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In the latest public corruption scandal to rock South Carolina, the office of attorney general Alan Wilson announced the indictment of Williamsburg County sheriff Stephen Renard Gardner and former Williamsburg County supervisor Tiffany Teonta Cooks.
The indictment of Gardner, 50, and Cooks, 51, comes just over a week after federal authorities announced charges had been filed against three sitting North Charleston council members and five other individuals related to public corruption.
The charges of all eight stem from schemes allegedly perpetrated by embattled North Charleston councilman Jerome Heyward.
According to the attorney general’s press release, a statewide grand jury returned a nine-count indictment detailing a scheme in which Gardner and Cooks allegedly conspired to misappropriate thousands of dollars in government funds for personal gain. The indictment asserted the pair then routed these funds through a third party to evade taxes and withholdings, thereby secretly benefiting Gardner beyond his legitimate salary.
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Gardner faces charges which include criminal conspiracy, misconduct in office, receiving something of value to influence the action of a public official, acceptance of rebates or extra compensation and money laundering involving amounts between $20,000 and $100,000.
Cooks is charged with criminal conspiracy, misconduct in office, offering something of value to influence the action of a public official, embezzlement and money laundering involving amounts between $20,000 and $100,000. The potential penalties for these charges also include fines and imprisonment of up to 10 years.
Gardner began his tenure with the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) in 2015 – the same month former sheriff Micheal L. Johnson was sentenced to thirty months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Gardner was sworn into his third term on January 7, 2025.
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Cooks served as Williamsburg County administrator from 2018 to 2022 when she was defeated while running for re-election. She currently serves as administrator for the town of Estill, S.C.
Following the indictment, governor Henry McMaster suspended Gardner from his duties and appointed Clemson Wright, Jr. as the interim sheriff pending the resolution of the charges.
The investigation was conducted by the statewide grand jury in collaboration with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The case will be prosecuted by senior assistant deputy attorney general Creighton Waters and assistant attorney general Savanna Goude.
As with any criminal case, Gardner and Cooks are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court or until they accepts a plea deal admitting guilt.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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1 comment
This sheriff apparently learned absolutely nothing from seeing his predecessor charged with crimes and going to prison. Apparently the punishment wasn’t sufficient to deter Gardner. His actions and that of Cook are absolutely shameful. Examples need to be made of these two. Otherwise, we can assume others will follow.