Lamar Police Chief Charles Woodle
The South Carolina Ethics Commission says it has found probable cause to charge Charles D. Woodle with 33 counts of campaign finance violations.
The commission has ordered the case referred to the South Carolina Attorney General's Office to determine if any of the charges warrant criminal prosecution.
Woodle is the chief of the Lamar Police Department and former candidate for Darlington County Sheriff.
The Commission's actions stem from a three month investigation into Woodle's campaign activities when he ran for sheriff of Darlington County in this year's June 12 Democratic Primary.
The allegations in the 13-page Ethics Commission document accuse Woodle of using campaign funds for personal expenses, failing to detail campaign contributions, failing to to itemize expenditures on campaign disclosure report, failing to file an initial campaign disclosure report and failing to file a quarterly campaign disclosure report.
The Ethics Commission will hear Woodle's case November 28 in Columbia.
Woodle has been in law enforcement for the past 28 years and has held positions in patrol, warrant division, criminal investigations and narcotics.
