Former Lieutenant in Sheriff’s Office Admits to Making False Statements to FBI

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Fred Allen Inabinett, age 39, of Walterboro, pled guilty Tuesday in federal court in Charleston to making false statements to federal agents, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Inabinett, while employed as a lieutenant with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, had conversations with a known drug dealer and revealed law enforcement sensitive information to him regarding federal investigations taking place in Colleton County. When questioned by FBI agents regarding any conversations that he had with the drug dealer, Inabinett denied that he had passed on any such information. Telephone calls intercepted from the drug dealer’s phone showed that Inabinett was not truthful in what he told the FBI about his conversations with the drug dealer. Inabinett was terminated from the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office shortly after he was charged.

Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty Inabinett can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for five years, plus a special assessment of $100.

The case was investigated by agents of the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Alston C. Badger of the Charleston office handled the case.