Sheriff’s Secret Cash Hoard Exposed | Augusta Georgia News

The sudden death of Sheriff Douglas Pernell, South Carolina’s first Black sheriff, triggered a shocking discovery: a locked drawer in his office filled with unaccounted cash from drug seizures. SLED launched an investigation revealing he’d diverted over $48,000 from evidence bags and stolen $4,000 from a jail fund, bypassing legal channels meant to funnel seized money to the county treasurer. Despite prior concerns from officials, no action was taken until after his death and media scrutiny. Now, the county faces a costly task of refunding seized funds — a scandal that exposed systemic failures and accountability gaps. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bfee5907fd3a38be