State police investigating Pawleys Island police chief over indecent exposure claim

A prominent Georgetown County police official is the subject of a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigation following allegations of lewd behavior.

Pawleys Island Police Chief Mike Fanning is accused of exposing himself at The Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet on Sept. 14, according to an incident report from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the report, the complainant, a 23-year-old Myrtle Beach area man, met with a Georgetown deputy following the incident to provide a statement. Fanning was named as a suspect in the report.

Georgetown County Assistant Sheriff Carter Weaver notified SLED “in regards to any investigatory assistance for whatever actions they deem appropriate,” the report states.

SLED Spokesperson Tommy Crosby said an agent has already launched an investigation into the matter, but with work underway, he said it would be inappropriate to provide specific details.

While Fanning said he’s restricted from commenting on the allegation, his lawyer, Joe McCulloch, said Fanning is cooperating fully with the investigation while continuing to serve Pawleys Island with the integrity he’s shown throughout this career. He added the allegation is without basis.

“People make allegations and then propel them into the media,” McCulloch said. “We believe it’s a false investigation.”

This story was originally published September 23, 2019 at 1:51 PM.