Sheriff’s Chaplain Resigns As Probe Of Chuck Wright Escalates

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A longtime chaplain at the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) has resigned as federal agents continue investigating the office’s leadership and financial operations, reportedly raising questions about the management of a tax-exempt cash fund tied to the department.

The resignation is yet another blow to this once-invincible department, and comes as the whereabouts of Sheriff Charles “Chuck” Wright — as well as department firearms and SWAT gear reportedly in his possession — remain unclear amid a federal investigation with no publicly known focus.

First elected in 2004, Wright has become one of South Carolina’s most recognizable sheriffs, leading his urban-rural county through decades of rapid growth — and rising crime. Anchored by Interstate 85, the Upstate region hosts one of the nation’s busiest inland ports.

Quick to quote scripture when politically convenient, Wright vanished under a “leave of absence” on April Fools’ Day 2025, just as state and federal investigators appear to have intensified scrutiny of a department multiple lawsuits claim he ruled through fear and intimidation.

Around the same time Wright abandoned his department to purportedly enter rehab to address a long-rumored pill dependency, at least four witnesses were subpoenaed and ultimately testified before a federal grand jury in Columbia, S.C.

While details surrounding the proceedings remain scarce, one witness who was both interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later testified before the grand jury tells FITSNews they were asked wide-ranging questions about the sheriff and his subordinates.

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RELATED | SHERIFF CHUCK WRIGHT MISSING AMID FEDERAL PROBE

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Joined by state agents from the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the FBI was reportedly interested in SCSO’s questionable employment of code enforcement officer Lawson Berry “L.B.” Watson – as well as the sheriff’s alleged interest in having a witness “find” pills for him.

“He asked me three different times to find pills,” the witness stated. “He was essentially asking an officer to find narcotics for his knee pain… and that was such an awkward position to be in — when the top law enforcement officer of the county asks you to break the law.”

Witnesses told FITSNews agents also turned their attention to the office’s finances — including a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) account referred to by SCSO as the “Chaplain Benevolence Fund” and listed on state filings as “The Benevolence Foundation.”

Established by a separate foundation in 2002, according to SCSO, the benevolence fund is meant to help deputies facing hardship — though multiple officers say that in recent years, requests as little as $100 were denied because the account was reportedly “empty.”

“The problem isn’t that the chaplain’s fund was not well funded,” said a former deputy. “A lot of funds come from an annual golf tournament that rakes in anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 annually. The problem is that no one really knows where the money goes.”

At the center of the fund’s handling is Amos Durham, SCSO’s sole paid chaplain who, according to one deputy, has attempted to cover Chaplain-related meals and purchases with checks drawn directly from the benevolence fund — including purchases at venues which reportedly didn’t accept checks.

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The exact spending habits of the benevolence fund remain unclear, as its finances fall outside SCSO’s official purview, according to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) denial. Nonetheless, witnesses maintain they have seen Durham regularly use the account for personal purchases.

Several deputies have noted that Durham spent exorbitant amounts of money on clothing at Harrison’s Public Safety, a longtime SCSO vendor. While any connection to the ongoing investigation remains unclear, sources familiar with the probe say authorities recently pulled a large volume of invoices from the store.

Another deputy recalls concerns over the benevolence fund escalating during National Police Week 2023, when the squad car door of fallen officer Austin D. Aldridge was delivered by an approved team of SCSO deputies to Washington, D.C., on a trip paid for by the county.

Even though all expenses were covered — including per diem and gas cards — the deputy says Wright asked Durham for a $4,000 check before the trip and got it, without offering any explanation or plan for the money.

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In recent weeks, multiple businesses are said to have been approached by agents — including one where the owner reportedly talked “so long he had to close the doors and lock ’em” — though their significance to the broader investigation remains unclear.

As these purported inquiries escalated, Durham announced his resignation in a department-wide email sent Monday, May 5, 2025. In the message, he said he had accepted another “opportunity” that was best for his family.

“My resignation is coupled with a spirit of gratitude because I have been blessed to have been part of this organization for the last 11 years,” Durham wrote in the email provided to FITSNews. “My hope is for the very best in the years to come for each one of you.”

Durham, who purportedly drives a county-issued black Ford Explorer, set his last day of employment for May 16, 2025.

In the wake of Wright’s unraveling, his longtime spokesman, Lt. Kevin G. Bobo, quietly slipped into a magistrate’s seat at the county level. As of this publishing, it remains unclear who — if anyone — has stepped into the role nominally responsible for relaying information to the public.

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Another key figure stepping away is Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt — one of Wright’s loudest public defenders — who announced on Tuesday that he would vacate his 34-year seat, a notable move given his role as vice president of Tindall Corporation’s S.C. division.

“David’s getting out while the getting’s good,” one deputy told us. “Chuck’s kingdom is caving in. The whole damn thing’s coming down.”

With Wright’s political dynasty under strain, his unofficial plan to pass the sheriff’s badge to his scandal-scarred son, Jared “Andy” Wright, appears increasingly unlikely to happen. Last summer, the S.C. State Ethics Commission (SCSEC) opened an investigation into the sheriff’s allegedly illegal, nepotistic hire of his biological son.

That investigation remains active and ongoing, according to sources.

For now, Chief Deputy William “Billy” Parris has assumed the sheriff’s authority — a longtime insider with deep ties to Wright and someone multiple sources describe as fully aware of, if not complicit in, the culture that allowed Wright’s power to fester.

“Chuck’s parents probably raised him to be a decent man, but power got the best of him,” said a newly retired deputy. “Honestly, part of me is excited. I’m ready for him to go down… Right is right, and wrong is wrong — and in this case, Wright is wrong.”

As of this publishing, neither Wright, Parris nor Durham have responded to requests for comment.

This story may be updated.

UPDATE |

After publishing this story, Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt reached out to FITSNews for what became a respectful, nearly hour-long conversation.

Britt noted that his new role with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (SCPSC) — where he was elected by the General Assembly last Thursday as District 4 Commissioner — had been in motion long before he became aware of the multi-agency investigation into Sheriff Charles “Chuck” Wright.

He added that while commissioner appointments weren’t originally expected until the 2026 legislative session, the positions were posted this spring — coinciding with his involvement in county-level negotiations on two major projects, including a $2.8 billion investment by NorthMark Strategies.

As part of the SCPSC appointment, Britt was required to step down from his longtime position as Vice President of Tindall Corporation’s South Carolina division, a role he held for 38 years.

He framed the commission seat as a way to extend his positive impacts beyond Spartanburg County to broader state matters.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

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.

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