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by ERIN PARROTT
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Three current or former Chester County, South Carolina officials have been indicted on charges tied to alleged misuse of public funds and property, according to the office of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson.
A Chester County grand jury indicted former Richburg Fire Department (RFD) chief Stewart Tyson Melton, former fire chief and current Chester County councilman John Harris Agee, and former Richburg Fire Department lieutenant Zachary Daniel Gibson, Wilson’s office announced on August 18, 2026.
The charges stem from allegations involving reimbursements connected to Hurricane Helene and the acquisition and sale of two vehicles obtained through the state’s Surplus Property Office (SPO).
Melton faces three counts of misconduct in office, one count of obtaining signature or property by false pretenses valued between $2,000 and $10,000, and another count of obtaining signature or property by false pretenses valued at more than $10,000.
According to the indictments, Melton allegedly obtained money improperly from the federal government, the state of South Carolina and Chester County by misrepresenting the Richburg Fire Department’s response efforts following Hurricane Helene in order to receive reimbursement.
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Gibson faces one count of misconduct in office related to the same alleged conduct.
The indictments also accused Melton of obtaining two Chevrolet Caprice police pursuit vehicles from the state Surplus Property Office by falsely representing that the vehicles were intended for use by the Richburg Fire Department.
Instead, prosecutors allege Melton sold the vehicles to Agee for his personal use while representing that they were being used as administrative vehicles for the fire department.
Agee, who previously served as Richburg’s fire chief and currently sits on Chester County Council, faces two conspiracy charges stemming from those allegations – one involving property valued between $2,000 and $10,000 and another involving property valued at more than $10,000.
The investigation was initiated at the request of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and conducted by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
The attorney general’s office will prosecute the cases of all three defendants. As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Melton, Agee and Gibson are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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