By Jessica Holdman
SCDailyGazette.com
COLUMBIA — The now-former chief spokesman for South Carolina’s Emergency Management Division is accused of distributing meth in the parking lot of the agency that leads natural disaster response in the state.
Lexington County Sheriff’s deputies obtained a warrant for Charles “Derrec” Becker’s arrest the afternoon of Sept. 19. Columbia police arrested Becker at his home the next day (Friday) and transferred him to Lexington County. He is charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the sheriff’s incident report.
Becker, 43, declined to comment when reached Tuesday by the S.C. Daily Gazette.
Lexington County deputies were called to Emergency Management Division headquarters in West Columbia on Sept. 17, after a zippered pouch was found in the parking lot.
According to a statement from sheriff’s department spokesman Adam Myrick, security camera footage shows someone who appears to be Becker setting down the pouch, found to contain more than 2 grams of meth and other unspecified drug paraphernalia, and walking away while on a phone call.
Becker was released from the Lexington County Detention Center on Saturday morning with the promise to appear in court or be forced to make $10,000 in bond payments.
Becker, a former reporter, had been a spokesman for the Emergency Management Division since 2008 and chief of public information since 2017.
On Tuesday, the agency’s website listed that position as “open.” It’s unclear exactly when it became vacant. Asked about Becker’s employment status, the agency provided a statement that gave its policy but no details on him specifically.
“The agency’s policy on alcohol, drug and substance abuse states, ‘employees are prohibited from manufacturing, possessing, using, distributing or purchasing non-prescribed drugs and intoxicants on agency premises and from working under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or intoxicants.’ SCEMD cannot provide additional information at this time,” reads the entire statement.
His salary was $93,347, according to the state Department of Administration.
Skylar Laird contributed to this report.
Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
