Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office investigating potential jail contraband incident involving councilman

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is nearing the end of an investigation into a situation last month at the county’s detention center.

A county councilman is accused of bringing two phones into the jail and was given a tour of the facility by an inmate.

In this case, investigators say they are about 98% complete and right now it doesn’t look like they can press charges against the county councilman, but they say that could change if new information comes to light.

“There was not sufficient evidence to be able to prove that the council member had any attempt to furnish or attempt to furnish a cell phone,” said Daniel Gourley, Attorney for Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

This has to do with an incident last month between Beaufort County Councilman Thomas Reitz, who represents the Hilton Head Island area, and inmate, Skip Hoagland seen here at a council meeting.

“This thing has been an onion from day one because every time we peel back a layer, there’s another layer that exposes itself,” said P.J. Tanner, Beaufort County Sheriff.

Investigators say over the course of three days, the two shared 129 calls of Hoagland asking for his medication, talking about the quality of care he wasn’t receiving, and even offering to pay for Reitz’s next campaign if he came to visit him.

“What we found that happened during this investigation is really disturbing,” said Tanner.

They say Reitz, who represents a different district than where Hoagland lives, then decided to visit the jail.

We received a video compilation of that visit through a Freedom of Information Act request with the County, where Reitz, who looks to have two phones on him, was allowed inside, which is against the jail policy for anyone to bring anything in to the jail with them.

See that video compilation below:

“Because the gatekeeper allowed the council member to do certain things,” said Tanner. “It’s kind of hard to hold the council member by statute.”

In the jail, deputies say Hoagland, who had access other inmates didn’t have, gave Reitz a tour of the conditions and even took pictures, one of which was a selfie, which is how the county council found out after deputies say he was showing the pictures to other council members.

Reitz in this case may not face charges, but Sheriff Tanner says it does bring light to some changes that need to be made at the jail by the Department of Corrections, who runs the jail.

“There are a multitude of concerning issues regarding on policy and procedure at the Beaufort County Detention Center that for the most have allowed criminal activity,” said Tanner.

This case is also being investigated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections and by the state board of ethics.

Which the department of corrections will be able to look into possible policy changes here in Beaufort, but not seek charges against the councilman.