A former South Carolina sheriff was convicted by a federal jury after making his employees work on his barn, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Former sheriff George Alexander Underwood, 57, of Chester, was convicted by a federal jury after making his employees install a home bar, television viewing area and other amenities in his barn, according to the DOJ.
Underwood was convicted alongside former chief deputy Robert Andrew Sprouse, 46, of Ridgeway, and former Office Lieutenant Johnny Ricardo Neal Jr., 41, of Lancaster. All three used their positions to gain money that they were not entitled to, conceal their misconduct and obstruct investigations into their wrongdoing, according to the DOJ.
Underwood and Sprouse took their family members on a trip to a conference in Nevada and charged the cost to the Sheriff’s Office.
They also violated the rights of a man, who was filming the response of the Sheriff’s Office to a car accident, by arresting him without probable cause. Both Sprouse and Neal attempted to cover up the incident by “creating a false incident reports” while “Sprouse made false statements to the FBI,” according to the DOJ.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 14: The FBI seal is attached to a podium prior to Director is Christopher A. Wray speakin at a news conference at FBI Headquarters, on June 14, 2018 in Washington, DC. Earlier today the inspector general released a 500 page report on the Clinton email investigation. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Neal and Underwood also conducted a scheme where they,”skimmed money from payments owed to other Sheriff’s Office employees for off-duty work at public safety checkpoints,” according to the DOJ’s statement.
They were all removed from their positions at the Chester County Sheriff’s Office after they were originally indicted by a federal grand jury around May 2019.
Each defendant is facing a maximum 20-year prison sentence but a sentencing date has not yet been set.
Underwood was convicted of “conspiracy, deprivation of rights, federal program theft, and wire fraud,” according to the Department of Justice.(RELATED: ‘I’m Going To Be With You For The Rest Of My Life’: Japanese Man Arrested For Dating And Defrauding 35 Women)
Sprouse was convicted of “conspiracy, falsification of records, false statements, and federal program theft” and Neal was convicted of “conspiracy, deprivation of rights, falsification of records, federal program theft, and wire fraud,” according to the DOJ.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with aid from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Office of the Attorney General of South Carolina.