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Jury deliberation begins in federal corruption trial of former Chester County sheriff, deputies Alex Underwood is facing indictments for criminal conspiracy, misconduct in office, embezzlement, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and use of official position, or office for financial gain. (Source: Emily Wakeman) By WBTV Web Staff | April 23, 2021 at 11:54 AM EDT - Updated April 23 at 1:36 PM
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTV/WIS) - Jury deliberation has begun in the federal trial for former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood, former Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse, and Deputy Johnny Neal.
The 17-count indictment alleges public corruption by the three individuals.
The charges that Underwood, Sprouse, and Neal are facing include using on-duty deputies to do manual labor at Underwood’s home, using county money to take their families on vacations, engaging in a conspiracy to use their positions to intimidate others, and falsifying police reports and unjustly arresting two people in 2018.
Jurors resume deliberations in S.C. sheriff corruption trial
April 23, 2021
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Jurors resume deliberations Friday in the trial of a former South Carolina sheriff accused of corruption and misconduct.
Closing arguments were held Thursday in the trial of Chester County Sheriff Alex “Big A” Underwood.
Also on trial are two of Underwood’s former top deputies Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse and Lt. Johnny Neal. Underwood faces 10 counts of conspiracy, fraud, and other tampering and theft charges. Neal and Sprouse face 19 additional charges.
Underwood is accused of using county-paid deputies to build himself a party barn, skimming money from federal programs, hiding first-class airplane tickets to Nevada for himself, Sprouse and their wives, unlawfully arresting a man who was recording video of a manhunt and lying to investigators.
/ Former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood
Prosecutors are painting the trial of former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood and two of his top deputies as a classic case of abuse of power. The trial got underway this week at the federal courthouse in Columbia, South Carolina.
Underwood, known nationally for working with youths and bringing down gang operations in Chester was stripped of his duties in 2019, shortly after he and his Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse were accused of allegedly flying first-class to Nevada with their wives on a personal trip, using county funds. Underwood is also charged with using on-duty deputies to renovate a barn on his property. Underwood, Sprouse and former Lt. Johnny Neal are pleading not guilty to the more than 20 charges filed against them.
Trial begins for former Chester County Sheriff accused of public corruption
Trial begins for former Chester County Sheriff accused of public corruption By Emily Wakeman | April 12, 2021 at 9:48 PM EDT - Updated April 12 at 10:05 PM
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The federal trial for former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood, former Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse, and Deputy Johnny Neal got underway in Columbia on Monday.
The 17 count indictment alleges public corruption by the three individuals.
The charges that Underwood, Sprouse, and Neal are facing include using on-duty deputies to do manual labor at Underwood’s home, using county money to take their families on vacations, engaging in a conspiracy to use their positions to intimidate others, and falsifying police reports and unjustly arresting two people in 2018.