South Carolina Deputy Accused of Stealing Money From Sex Offenders

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina sheriff’s deputy has been fired and arrested after investigators say she stole hundreds of dollars from sex offenders during their registration process at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy Caught During Internal Audit

Authorities say the investigation into 31-year-old Jessica Way began after an internal audit on July 16 revealed a $410 discrepancy in cash collected from individuals registering with the department’s sex offender registry unit.

Following the discovery, the matter was immediately referred to the criminal investigations division, where suspicions grew that someone had been skimming money in small amounts to avoid detection.

Deputy Jessica Way Confessed to Theft

Way had been employed by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department for just under four years and was working directly with the registry unit. Investigators allege that she stole small amounts of money at a time from those who came to register, attempting to conceal the theft by keeping the sums low.

On July 24, she was terminated from her position and, when questioned, confessed to the allegations.

Arrested and Charged With Petty Larceny

On Monday, Way was arrested and charged with petty larceny under $2,000. She was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and remains under investigation by the department.

Sheriff Leon Lott publicly addressed the case, confirming the former deputy’s role in the registry unit and calling her actions a violation of public trust.

“She betrayed the values of this office,” Lott said. “No amount of money is worth compromising your integrity.”

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