CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. – Three deputies with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina have been charged with multiple crimes for allegedly reporting five “hoax emergencies” regarding “dead bodies” while on duty, officials announced Tuesday.
Chesterfield County Sheriff Cambo Streater said he learned about “possible misconduct by three of our deputies” last week. Once he discovered the allegations, he sought an independent criminal investigation, NBC News reported.
“Based on the nature of the allegations, I requested the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to investigate. SLED has begun their inquiry and the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office is cooperating fully,” he said in a statement on social media.
SLED’s investigation revealed three CCSO personnel allegedly engaged in criminal misconduct. As a result of their actions, they were charged Monday with misconduct in office, criminal conspiracy and aggravated breach of peace.
In a Tuesday announcement, the three individuals were identified as First Sgt. Justin Tyler Reichard, 28; Sgt. Darien Myles Roseau, 25; and Deputy Killian Daniel Loflin, 26, according to NBC.
While on duty Feb. 4, the three deputies reported “five hoax emergencies” in the Cheraw, Chesterfield, McBee and Pageland municipalities, per an arrest warrant affidavit released by SLED.
The bogus calls were reportedly made to convenience stores and local municipal law enforcement agencies. During each hoax, the caller relayed information regarding the “location of a ‘dead body’ within the municipalities,” the affidavit revealed.
Each fictitious call generated an emergency response from local law enforcement agencies.
All three men were booked at the Chesterfield County Detention Center on Monday and released on $30,000 bonds.
They are currently on administrative leave from the sheriff’s office as proceedings take place, WPDE-TV reported.
