Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Williamsburg County Treasurer indicted by the State Grand Jury, along with additional indictments of other former Williamsburg County officials

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today an additional 10-count indictment by the South Carolina State Grand Jury regarding allegations of public corruption, including Williamsburg County Treasurer Margaret Kimber W. Cooper. The State Grand Jury issued indictments of Margaret Kimber W. Cooper for the following offenses:

     2025-GS-47-29  (Williamsburg County):

          Count 5: Misconduct in Office, Common Law: 0-10 years

          Count 6: 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 8: Criminal Conspiracy, § 16-17-410: 0-5 years or not more than $5,000.

The indictment also includes additional charges of Official Misconduct in Office, Use of Official Position or Office for Financial Gain, and Criminal Conspiracy for:

     Tiffany Teonta Cooks, former Williamsburg County Supervisor

     Stephen Renard Gardner, suspended Williamsburg County Sheriff

     Sharon W. Staggers, former Williamsburg County Clerk of Court

     Keonta Dewanda Moore, former Williamsburg County Chief of Administration 

The indictments generally allege that these public officials or employees accepted payment over their approved salaries from as early as February of 2020 to December 2022.  These payments total approximately $398,645.11 and occurred while other county employees were furloughed. 

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, 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.