Attorney General Alan Wilson announces current and former Richburg and Chester County officials indicted for Misconduct in Office and falsely obtaining property

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the Chester County Grand Jury indicted three current or former Richburg and Chester County officials on charges of misconduct in office, obtaining property by false pretenses, and conspiracy.

Former Richburg Fire Department Chief Stewart Tyson Melton is charged with three counts of Misconduct in Office; one count of Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000; and one count of Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, value more than $10,000.

Former Richburg Fire Department Chief and current Chester County Councilman John Harris Agee is charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Obtaining Goods Under False Pretense, value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Obtaining Goods Under False Pretense, value more than $10,000.

Former Lieutenant of the Richburg Fire Department Zachary Daniel Gibson is charged with one count of Misconduct in Office.

The indictments allege that when Melton was the Richburg Fire Chief, he improperly got money from the U.S. Government, the State of South Carolina, and Chester County by misrepresenting the Richburg Fire Department’s response efforts for reimbursement after Hurricane Helene.

Gibson is also charged with Misconduct in Office for the same alleged conduct.

The indictments also allege that Melton obtained two Chevy Caprice police pursuit vehicles from the state Surplus Property Office by falsely claiming they were for the use of the Fire Department, but he sold those vehicles to John Agee for his personal use, while saying the cars were being used as administrative vehicles for the Richburg Fire Department.

Agee’s two Conspiracy charges are based on those allegations.

The Chester County Sheriff’s Office requested that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigate this case, which will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.