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by JENN WOOD
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Less than a year after federal prosecutors exposed a sweeping public corruption scheme inside the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), former Spartanburg County sheriff Chuck Wright’s remaining co-defendants are learning their punishment.
Lawson “LB” Watson, 74, Wright’s distant cousin and former code enforcement officer, appeared Thursday morning (July 9, 2026) before U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Cain at the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Federal Courthouse in Greenville, South Carolina, where he was sentenced for his role in a years-long fraud scheme involving what prosecutors repeatedly described as a “no-show” county job.
Judge Cain sentenced Watson to 16 months in federal prison.
The court also ordered Watson to pay restitution in the amount of $349,885.22 along with the mandatory special assessment. Like Wright, Watson will serve his sentence in the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), where there is no parole. Also like Wright, he will be subjected to three years of supervised release upon the completion of his sentence.
Watson’s attorney confirmed his client put $80,000 toward restitution in court on Thursday — and agreed to a $2,000 per month payment plan for the remainder upon his release from BOP. He will remain on bond and be allowed to self-report once provided a “designation date” from BOP, which usually comes roughly 45 days following sentencing.
Watson’s sentencing comes just two days after Cain sentenced Wright to 41 months in federal prison after rejecting his request for a downward variance. Wright was also ordered to pay $462,866.06 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Former sheriff’s office chaplain Amos Durham, 61, appeared before Cain later Thursday afternoon, where the judge granted the defense’s motion for a downward variance and sentenced him to the maximum probationary sentence allowed by law.
Rather than imposing a prison sentence within the advisory guideline range of six to twelve months sought by federal prosecutors, Cain ordered Durham to serve just five years of probation and pay $95,442.39. Durham has already agreed to pay about $50,000 toward that obligation.
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THE “GHOST DEPUTY”
Federal prosecutors argued Watson spent years collecting a taxpayer-funded salary while performing little or no work for Spartanburg County.
According to court filings, Watson received approximately $350,000 in salary and benefits while rarely reporting for duty. Employees interviewed during the federal investigation allegedly told agents “everyone knew” Watson did not actually work, with some referring to him as a “unicorn” because he somehow managed to collect a paycheck without ever showing up.
Instead, prosecutors alleged Watson spent much of his time operating his private paving business while continuing to receive county pay, benefits, a county vehicle and other employment perks.
The government further alleged Wright knowingly kept his cousin on the county payroll despite understanding Watson was not performing the duties of his taxpayer-funded position. In addition to his salary and benefits, Watson allegedly received the use of two county vehicles and at least one county-issued phone while operating his private business.
Investigators further alleged Watson openly referred to himself as someone who simply “worked for Chuck,” while sheriff’s office employees viewed him as untouchable because of his close relationship to Wright.
Watson ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after waiving indictment alongside Wright and Durham in October 2025.
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? #LIVE: Two days after disgraced former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, his two co-conspirators will learn their fate before the same judge in the same Greenville courthouse.
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) July 9, 2026
First up is former Spartanburg County Sheriff’s… pic.twitter.com/FPN5FaMDXC
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DEFENSE SOUGHT LENIENCY
Ahead of Thursday’s hearing, Watson’s attorney – Beattie Ashmore – asked the court to impose a sentence below the advisory guideline range, citing Watson’s age, health, military service, family support and lack of criminal history.
Federal prosecutors opposed that request. In their sentencing memorandum, they argued Watson knowingly accepted years of unearned taxpayer-funded compensation while abusing a position of public trust.
“For years, Watson drew a $57,000 salary and took benefits, insurance, a county vehicle, and a county phone while performing little or no work,” prosecutors wrote.
The government argued that a guideline sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of the offense, deter similar misconduct and help restore public confidence in law enforcement.
Cain agreed… and imposed the upper end of the advisory range of Watson’s sentence.
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RELATED | Ex-Sheriff Chuck Wright Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison
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DURHAM RECEIVES PROBATION
Unlike Watson, Durham admitted participating in Wright’s abuse of the SCSO Chaplain’s Benevolence Fund — a charitable ac count established to provide financial assistance to deputies and their families during times of hardship, including financial emergencies, bereavement and traumatic line-of-duty incidents.
According to prosecutors, Durham, who oversaw the fund, repeatedly withdrew cash and wrote checks to Wright despite knowing the organization prohibited cash withdrawals and existed to help deputies in need.
Investigators alleged Wright and Durham diverted about $90,000 from the benevolence fund while deputies facing genuine financial emergencies were left without assistance.
According to federal prosecutors, one deputy’s family seeking help to cover hospice expenses was turned away because the fund had been depleted. Another deputy whose home was damaged by a fallen tree was likewise denied assistance after the account had run dry.
Federal prosecutors argued Durham should receive a guideline prison sentence of six to twelve months.
His attorney, Frank Eppes, urged the court to instead consider Durham’s decades of ministry, community service and otherwise law-abiding life.
Judge Cain ultimately agreed that a downward variance was appropriate, granting the defense’s request and sentencing Durham to five years of probation — the maximum probationary sentence permitted under federal law — in lieu of imprisonment.
The court also ordered Durham to pay $95,442.39 in restitution. After crediting him for almost $50,000 already paid, Cain directed Durham to begin making $3,000 monthly payments toward the remaining balance beginning 60 days after sentencing.
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RELATED | Feds Seek Prison For Chuck Wright’s Co-Defendants
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THE LAST TWO DEFENDANTS
Thursday’s hearings effectively conclude the sentencing phase of the federal public corruption investigation that brought down one of South Carolina’s most recognizable sheriffs.
Wright pleaded guilty last October to conspiracy involving theft from the sheriff’s office benevolence fund, conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving Watson’s employment and unlawfully obtaining controlled substances through misrepresentation.
Watson and Durham each pleaded guilty to a single felony charge stemming from separate components of the broader corruption scheme.
Although the federal criminal case is nearing its conclusion, Wright still faces 65 ethics charges before the South Carolina State Ethics Commission.
Meanwhile, FITSNews continues investigating allegations involving Wright’s nearly four decades at SCSO — including widespread claims of a much broader network of criminal activity tied to the former sheriff’s tenure.
“Today’s sentencing reaffirms that honor and integrity remain core traits of wearing a law enforcement badge,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore after Wright’s sentencing on Tuesday. “There is a real cost for tarnishing the badge and the trust it represents.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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