Prison or probation? Sentence hearing delayed for SC police chief who stole $80,000

A sentencing hearing in federal court on whether to give a former South Carolina police chief prison or probation for stealing $80,000 in seized drug money and then lying to the FBI about the theft has been postponed.

A hearing at the Charleston federal courthouse for Gary Shaffer, a former Manning police chief, before U.S. District Judge Bruce Hendricks was called off Tuesday morning before the hearing was to begin.

Various technical difficulties with the court’s video conferencing system caused the delay.

A notice posted in online federal court records said the hearing will be rescheduled.

In July 2019, Shaffer pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and lying to an FBI agent. It is a felony to lie to an FBI agent who is investigating a crime.

The case of Shaffer, a veteran officer who on 72 different occasions dipped into a stash of $80,000 in seized drug cash in a supposedly secure police department locker, has attracted widespread attention across the state.

He was arrested in January 2019 and faced multiple charges, including lying to an FBI agent who, acting on a tip, asked Shaffer about the missing money. According to evidence in the case, Shaffer lied to the agent, telling him that he (Shaffer) had gotten money from his (Shaffer’s) brother.

The brother didn’t back up Shaffer’s story, and the FBI easily found records at Shaffer’s bank that showed over several months in 2015 he had made cash deposits of nearly $80,000, according to undisputed evidence in the case.

This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Prison or probation? Sentence hearing delayed for SC police chief who stole $80,000."