Attorney General Alan Wilson announces State Grand Jury issues indictments alleging public corruption by Williamsburg Co. Sheriff Stephen Gardner and former Williamsburg Co. Supervisor Tiffany Cooks

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today the return of a nine-count indictment by the South Carolina State Grand Jury regarding allegations of public corruption by Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Renard Gardner and former elected Williamsburg County Supervisor Tiffany Teonta Cooks. Sheriff Gardner was suspended by order of Governor McMaster today, and the Governor appointed Clemson Wright, Jr. to serve in the office pending resolution of the charges.

The State Grand Jury issued indictments of Sheriff Gardner for the following offenses:

     2025-GS-47-05 (Williamsburg County)

          Count 1: Criminal Conspiracy, § 16-7-410: 0 – 5 years and/or fine of up to $5000

          Count 2: Misconduct in Office, Common Law: 0-10 years

          Count 4: Receiving Anything of Value to Influence Action of Public Official Ethics Act Violation, § 8-13-  705: 0-10 years and/or $0-$10,000

          Count 7: Acceptance of Rebates or Extra Compensation, § 16-9-230: 3 mos – 5 years and $100 - $500

          Count 8: Money Laundering, Value $20,000 but Less Than $100,000, § 16-9-230: 0-10 years

The State Grand Jury issued indictments of Tiffany Cooks for the following offenses:

     2025-GS-47-05 (Williamsburg County)

          Count 1: Criminal Conspiracy, § 16-7-410: 0 – 5 years and/or fine of up to $5000

          Count 3: Misconduct in Office, Common Law: 0-10 years

          Count 5: Offering Anything of Value to Influence Action of Public Official Ethics Act Violation, § 8-13-     705: 0-10 years and/or $0-$10,000

          Count 6: Embezzlement, § 16-13-210: 0-10 years and a fine in the discretion of the court

          Count 9: Money Laundering, Value $20,000 but Less Than $100,000, § 16-9-230: 0-10 years

The indictments generally allege that Sheriff Gardner and former Supervisor Cooks conspired a “scheme to improperly pay thousands of dollars of government funds to Gardner, and avoid taxes or withholdings on the amounts paid, by routing the government money to Gardner under the guise of checks written to a third party.” The indictments also allege that Sheriff Gardner “secretly obtain[ed]” and Cooks “secretly provide[d] personal profit and benefit to Stephen Renard Gardner by having government funds, above and beyond Gardner’s legitimate salary, improperly paid to him.”

The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which functions in partnership with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division 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 and Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude.

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