COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. — Multiple indictments have been released Tuesday regarding allegations of public corruption against Robert A. Strickland, suspended Colleton County Sheriff.
Strickland, 40, was previously suspended from office for an indictment on November 21 for domestic violence.
According to the arrest warrant, Strickland punched a woman in he face multiple times on November 7, then took her cell phone to prevent her from calling for help.
On February 13, the State Grand Jury indicted Strickland for multiple offenses in Horry and Colleton Counties.
The offenses included misconduct in office and distribution of a schedule IV controlled substance in Horry County, and misconduct in office, embezzlement, distribution of a scheduled II controlled substance, and multiple ethics act violations in Colleton County.
The indictments allege that Strickland had deputies staff from the Sheriff's office worked on improvements for Strickland's home, land, and other properties or businesses while being paid by the county, gave a government radio unit, worth approximately $3000, to a citizen, used county property for his own benefit, had staff working on political campaigns for his gain while working for the county, used public funds for non-official "lodging expenses" in Myrtle Beach, used his supervisory power over staff to "coerce the continuation of an ongoing sexual relationship with a subordinate" while using county resources and time to further those activities, provided controlled substances to a subordinate without a prescription, provided alcohol to a subordinate under 21, and illegally distributed Ambien and Adderall.
The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which functions with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division. The cases will be prosecuted by State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney S. Creighton Waters, Senior Assistant Attorney General Brian Petrano, Assistant Attorney General David Fernandez, and Assistant Attorney General Johnny Ellis James, Jr.
Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
