Buying $10,000 worth of gas landed four people in jail, SC cops say. Here’s why

Four people were recently arrested for a scheme where they used public money to purchase more than $10,000 of gasoline for themselves, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

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On Monday, 24-year-old Lakilyis Jawara Ceasar was charged with embezzlement of public funds (value $10,000 or more) and criminal conspiracy, SLED said Tuesday in a news release. That followed the Aug. 21 arrests of fellow Kingstree residents 24-year-old Shamir Cheatique Bradley, 23-year-old Davonte Antwan Green and 24-year-old Tyhiem Da’Shawn Malik Hopkins on criminal conspiracy charges, according to the release.

The crimes occurred between April and June, SLED said.

Ceasar was working for the Town of Kingstree Public Works when he obtained WEX Fuel cards, and a PIN, that were owned and issued by the town, according to an arrest warrant. While Ceasar worked for the town, and after his “separation of employment,” he and the other three used the fuel cards to “unlawfully obtain approximately $10,000 worth of fuel,” the arrest warrant said.

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The Town of Kingstree asked SLED to lead an investigation, and the four will be prosecuted by the 3rd Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

All four subjects were booked into the Williamsburg County Detention Center.