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A look at South Carolina sheriffs in legal trouble

By WTOP Staff

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The longest-serving sheriff in South Carolina, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts, has pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and fraud charges. But sheriffs charged under the laws they are supposed to uphold is nothing unusual in South Carolina these days. Metts is the eighth in four years to run into legal problems.

Prosecutors say Metts allowed friends to buy favors, accepting cash in return for agreeing to assist people who were in the country illegally and who were being detained.

The sheriff’s office is typically an important seat of power in South Carolina, where strict incorporation laws mean 65 percent of the state’s residents don’t live in cities or towns. Sheriffs often control jails, can hire and fire anyone and have tight control over finances — in Oconee County, the sheriff’s office gets nearly 15 percent of the $43 million budget for the county of about 74,000 people. They also choose what their deputies concentrate on, meaning drugs may be a focus in one county while it’s traffic control in another.

A look at the lineup of those who have run into legal trouble:

E.J. MELVIN, LEE COUNTY

Melvin is serving 17 years in prison after his November 2010 conviction on more than three dozen drug conspiracy charges. Prosecutors said he ruled Lee County like a kingpin, soliciting bribes from drug dealers and extorting businessmen. One witness told an FBI agent that a longtime drug dealer had told him, “If it wasn’t for E.J., I wouldn’t be doing the things that I do.”

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MICHAEL JOHNSON, WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY

Johnson faces federal kickback charges after he was accused of creating fake police reports saying people had their identities stolen for a friend who ran a credit-repair business. The fake reports kept more than $11 million in bad debts off more than 130 credit reports from March 2012 until August 2013, prosecutors said.

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SAM PARKER, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY

Parker was convicted earlier this year of giving away guns from his department without the proper paperwork and allowing untrained people to act as deputies. Prosecutors said Parker gave away confiscated weapons, including an M-14 semi-automatic rifle, to friends who were not deputies.

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AL CANNON, CHARLESTON COUNTY

Cannon was charged with third-degree assault and battery after admitting he slapped a handcuffed man in the face after the man led deputies on a 120-mph chase in January 2012. Charged with a misdemeanor, Cannon was eligible for pre-trial intervention and remains in office.

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JASON BOOTH, SALUDA COUNTY, AND CHARLES GOODWIN, ABBEVILLE COUNTY

Both Booth and Goodwin pleaded guilty to misusing state inmate labor. Both avoided jail time.

Prosecutors said Booth allowed an inmate to live in a trailer outside of prison and have conjugal visits with his girlfriend in exchange for building a party shed, ornate gate and other projects at the sheriff’s home.

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LARRY WILLIAMS, ORANGEBURG COUNTY

Orangeburg County officials sued the estate of the late Williams, saying he took more than $200,000 in public money for personal use. Williams died before the case could be prosecuted. The lawsuit says Williams used the money for personal expenses, including paying off a $60,000 loan on an RV.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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