Two Colleton County lieutenants. One audit. Eleven days.
Lt. Ruben Carter — a 28-year veteran of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina — ran more than 2,700 unauthorized Flock license plate searches on 14 different people, including himself, fellow deputies, and former associates. Not one had a case attached. Fired August 20, 2026.
Eleven days later, Lt. Kevin Smalls was fired too. 62 unauthorized searches in six months, including vehicles registered to his own spouse. The agency’s statement called it “personal reasons.”
The same internal audit caught both men. And before that audit existed, the captain responsible for auditing the system was also its own administrator.
Sheriff Buddy Hill has requested a SLED criminal investigation into both former lieutenants. Both walked out. No charges yet.
What’s your take — is being fired enough, or should these be criminal cases? Drop it in the comments.
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