‘Stunning fall’: Chester County SC Supervisor accused of dealing meth will remain jailed
The suspended top elected official in Chester County, accused of dealing meth on the job, will remain in jail at least through the weekend, a judge ruled Friday.
Kenneth “Shane” Stuart, 47, Chester County Supervisor since 2015, appeared in Chester County court Friday virtually from a jail in Columbia. He had been arrested on charges of trafficking meth, manufacturing meth, conspiracy, and misconduct in office. Prosecutors said Stuart used county vehicles to avoid police detection. Stuart faces a potential of 65 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Stuart is a former Chester County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Creighton Waters, assistant S.C. Attorney General, called Stuart’s arrest a drop from political authority to jail. Stuart had served a dual role as Chairman of Chester County Council and the county supervisor.
“This is a stunning fall from grace,” Waters said in the virtual court hearing.
Waters said Stuart sold meth from his county vehicle and was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that dealt meth in Chester and York counties. Stuart used the vehicle to move and sell meth because it was believed police would not pull over Stuart, Waters said.
Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey approached state prosecutors and South Carolina state police weeks ago after deputies learned of Stuart’s activities, Waters said in court. Stuart also was involved with others in a conspiracy to sell meth, Waters said.
“It was a whirlwind investigation into drug dealing,” Waters said. “This was a lightning investigation into a trafficking conspiracy.”
Police seized meth, drug paraphernalia, and five guns from Stuart’s home in Chester County when Stuart was arrested, Waters said.
Waters said bond should be denied to Stuart because his fall from top official to facing 25 or more years in prison means Stuart could be become “unmoored” emotionally. Stuart could be a danger to the public or himself, Waters said. Stuart could also be a flight risk, Waters said.
Stuart, a military veteran, said in court Friday he did not have a lawyer but denied he is a danger or would flee.
Stuart said in court he did not know about the charges until he was arrested. Stuart said he is not a flight risk and owns no personal vehicle. Stuart asked for house arrest while the charges are pending.
“I’m not a flight risk, I am always in the community,” Stuart said. “I have no other place to go. I have no criminal background whatsoever.”
South Carolina Circuit Court Judge DeAndrea Benjamin of Columbia put a bond decision on hold until next week -- after Stuart can get a lawyer.
Court officials in Richland County said Stuart will be screened to see if he qualifies for a free lawyer.
Indictments obtained by The Herald state Stuart trafficked more than 400 grams of meth in one instance, and manufactured meth in two other charges. He also is accused of dealing drugs during work hours while in his county vehicle, and conspiring with others to steal catalytic covnverters from Chester County trucks.
Two other people, Ace Donovon Hembree, 32, and Brittany Jane Oneppo, 40, were charged with trafficking meth along with Stuart, according to Waters.
Hembree was the former Chester County animal control director, Waters said. Stuart hired Hembree, Waters said.
Hembree was described by Waters in court as a “drug dealer” who has previous convictions for drugs and other offenses.
Police seized five guns and more than a half pound of meth from Hembree when he was arrested, Waters said. Hembree was denied bond by Judge Benjamin until next week when Hembree can get a lawyer.
Waters said meth, guns and heroin were seized from Oneppo’s home and vehicle. Oneppo is out on bond from other unrelated charges. Oneppo received an $8,000 bond Friday.
The investigation into Stuart included officials from the State Law Enforcement Division, Chester County Sheriff’s Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Sixth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Sixteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit.
The Chester Sheriff, SLED, and Attorney General’s Office are expected to hold a news conference later Friday in Chester to answer questions about the drug probe.
Stuart was elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2018 to a four-year term. Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Stuart Thursday after Stuart’s arrest and appointed former court magistrate Wylie Frederick as interim county supervisor.
The supervisor in Chester County runs county council and is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the county council, for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the county, and for appointing all non-elected county department heads, according to the county website. The county supervisor prepares the county budget and other tasks.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 12:08 PM with the headline "‘Stunning fall’: Chester County SC Supervisor accused of dealing meth will remain jailed."
