Attorney General Alan Wilson announces State Grand Jury issues indictments alleging public corruption by former Williamsburg County Clerk of Court Sharon Staggers

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today the return of a ten-count indictment by the South Carolina State Grand Jury regarding allegations of public corruption by former Williamsburg County Clerk of Court Sharon Staggers. 

The State Grand Jury issued indictments of Sharon Staggers for the following offenses:

     2025-GS-47-16 (Williamsburg County)

          Count 1: Misconduct in Office, Common Law: 0-10 years

          Count 2: Embezzlement of Public Funds, Value Less Than $10,000, § 16-13-210(A): 0-5 years and a                            fine (amount in the discretion of the Court)

          Counts 3-7: Embezzlement of Public Funds, Value $10,000 or More, § 16-13-210(A): 0-10 years and                                a fine (amount in the discretion of the Court)

          Count 8: Embezzlement of Public Funds, Value Less Than $10,000, § 16-13-210(A): 0-5 years and a                            fine (amount in the discretion of the Court)

          Count 9: Use of Official Position or Office for Financial Gain Ethics Act Violation, § 8-13-700: 0-1 year                          and/or not more than $5,000

          Count 10: Receiving Anything of Value to Influence Action of Public Official Ethics Act Violation,                                     § 8-13-705: 0-10 years and/or $0-$10,000

The indictments generally allege that, as the former Clerk of Court for Williamsburg County, Sharon Staggers embezzled a total of approximately $119,499.06 of public funds by causing funds to be paid to her in excess of her salary as an elected official (The salaries of elected officials in Williamsburg County are determined by county council).  The majority of these funds were Title IV-D funds meant to enhance child support services.   

The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which functions in partnership with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Department of Social Services, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Section. The cases will be prosecuted by the chief attorney of the State Grand Jury Section Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General S. Creighton Waters, Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude, and Assistant Attorney General Walt Whitmire.

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

You can see the indictments here.