Amodio to plead guilty; feds indicate investigation targets gambling, extortion
By TIM FLACH and JOHN MONK
February 12, 2015
Former South Congaree Police Chief Jason Amodio, right, at his bond hearing in July 2014. He is accused of accepting bribes from former Lexington Town Councilman Danny Frazier, seated, in exchange for returning seized gaming machines to Frazier. THE STATE — FILE PHOTOGRAPH
COLUMBIA SC — A corruption investigation is focusing on illegal gambling as well as extortion and fraud among law enforcement and political officials in the Midlands, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
The revelation came in a proposed plea agreement with former South Congaree Police Chief Jason Amodio that was filed by prosecutors in federal court this week.
It’s the first indication of the scope of the joint federal-state probe that produced charges so far against three Lexington County officials – including former sheriff James Metts – as well as a restauranteur and a former Richland County deputy turned online gaming businessman.
The agreement gave no further information about the investigation.
Amodio is willing to plead guilty to two charges, the agreement says:
• Making a false statement to a federal grand jury in 2012 in connection with money received from an unidentified person that he called a loan to buy a truck. The panel was looking into bribes and kickbacks at that time, the agreement said.
• Misconduct in office, a state violation related to accepting payments for illegal gaming machines seized while he was police chief.
Federal and state prosecutors are recommending four years probation, saying Amodio provided “substantial” assistance in the investigation and still does so.
Probation on both charges would be served concurrently, with Amodio under confinement at his home for eight months. That is in lieu of up to five years in prison on the federal charge and up to 10 years on the state charge.
The deal must be accepted by a federal judge. No hearing on it is set.
Amodio must continue to answer investigators’ questions and provide material about “unlawful activities” as well as pass lie detector tests under the deal.
Failure to to that would void the agreement, subjecting him to new charges and imprisonment.
While the agreement doesn’t name who gave money to Amodio, former Lexington Town Councilman Danny Frazier is accused by a State Grand Jury of making such payments.
The plea agreement is dated June 18 but only made public Tuesday. It was reached the day after Amodio, Metts, Frazier and restaurant owner Greg Leon were indicted.
Metts awaits sentencing after pleading guilty Dec. 30 to a federal charge stemming from interference with the handling of two illegal immigrants at the county jail he formerly oversaw.
Amodio was police chief in the town of 2,300 residents near Columbia Metropolitan Airport for 11 years.
He quit the post in May 2013, citing unspecified personal and family reasons.
His resignation followed a raid on Town Hall by FBI and SLED agents in which unspecified items were seized.
Amodio was a West Columbia police officer before going to South Congaree as second-in-command of its police in 2011, becoming chief 15 months later.
Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1
Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
It’s the first indication of the scope of the joint federal-state probe that produced charges so far against three Lexington County officials – including former sheriff James Metts – as well as a restauranteur and a former Richland County deputy turned online gaming businessman.
The agreement gave no further information about the investigation.
Amodio is willing to plead guilty to two charges, the agreement says:
• Making a false statement to a federal grand jury in 2012 in connection with money received from an unidentified person that he called a loan to buy a truck. The panel was looking into bribes and kickbacks at that time, the agreement said.
• Misconduct in office, a state violation related to accepting payments for illegal gaming machines seized while he was police chief.
Federal and state prosecutors are recommending four years probation, saying Amodio provided “substantial” assistance in the investigation and still does so.
Probation on both charges would be served concurrently, with Amodio under confinement at his home for eight months. That is in lieu of up to five years in prison on the federal charge and up to 10 years on the state charge.
The deal must be accepted by a federal judge. No hearing on it is set.
Amodio must continue to answer investigators’ questions and provide material about “unlawful activities” as well as pass lie detector tests under the deal.
Failure to to that would void the agreement, subjecting him to new charges and imprisonment.
While the agreement doesn’t name who gave money to Amodio, former Lexington Town Councilman Danny Frazier is accused by a State Grand Jury of making such payments.
The plea agreement is dated June 18 but only made public Tuesday. It was reached the day after Amodio, Metts, Frazier and restaurant owner Greg Leon were indicted.
Metts awaits sentencing after pleading guilty Dec. 30 to a federal charge stemming from interference with the handling of two illegal immigrants at the county jail he formerly oversaw.
Amodio was police chief in the town of 2,300 residents near Columbia Metropolitan Airport for 11 years.
He quit the post in May 2013, citing unspecified personal and family reasons.
His resignation followed a raid on Town Hall by FBI and SLED agents in which unspecified items were seized.
Amodio was a West Columbia police officer before going to South Congaree as second-in-command of its police in 2011, becoming chief 15 months later.
Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1
Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2015/02/12/4784662_anti-corruption-probe-targets.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
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