State agriculture chief charged with extortion
BY AARON GOULD SHEININ
Knight Ridder Newspapers
COLUMBIA, S.C. - (KRT) - S.C. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Sharpe was arrested Thursday and charged with extortion, money laundering and lying to law enforcement agents in connection with a cockfighting operation.
The 12-count federal indictment alleges Sharpe took money to protect a S.C. cockfighting operation while he was a state House member and while running for agriculture commissioner in 2002.
Cockfighting is illegal in South Carolina.
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