Orangeburg, SC (WLTX) - Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said he's angry that four of his deputies were caught up in what federal prosecutors say was a criminal conspiracy.
"Mad as hell," Ravenell said at a news conference Friday afternoon. "[I'm] extremely disappointed in the alleged actions of these individuals."
Hours earlier, federal prosecutors unsealed a 13-count indictment against seven law enforcement officers, all who worked in Orangeburg County.
Carolyn Franklin Colter, Nathaniel Shazier III, Stanley Timmons, and Willie Paul David Rogers were all members of Ravenell's department. Two others were part of the Springfield Police Department (including that town's police chief, La'cra Jenkins), and one who was unaffiliated with any agency.
Prosecutors say there were two schemes: one involved faking a type of visa that lets foreign aliens stay in the country if they've been victims of crimes and are helping authorities, and the other involved armed protection of drug traffickers and drug funds.
According to prosecutors, Franklin was involved in both schemes. Shazier and Timmons were involved in the drug one, while Rogers helped with the visa fraud, according to the federal indictments.
Ravenell has fired all four Orangeburg deputies who were indicted.
The sheriff said he was aware of the probe as it was going on, but would not say how long he had knowledge of the government's efforts.
Ravenell said he apologized to the community, his agency, and the larger law enforcement community, because he said his agency has been fighting for the trust of everyone for the last several years.
"That's what angers me so bad," Ravenell said.
In recent months, the county council has given more money to hire and make the officer pay at his agency more competitive.
He said since the announcement, he's been asked if he's okay.
"I'm not okay," he said. "How can I be?"