Metts giving campaign surplus to charities

Former Lexington County Sheriff James Metts plans to give nearly $105,000 in unused political contributions to charities, one of his lawyers said.

Metts will donate all of it to nonprofit groups, attorney Sherri Lydon said.

Such donations are one option allowed for disposal of surplus campaign money under state guidelines. Personal use of the money is banned.

It’s unclear whether all the money will be given out before Metts reports to federal prison soon to serve nearly a year for interfering in the handling of two illegal immigrants in 2011 at the county jail he formerly oversaw.

He’s already given $25,000 to Charleston Southern University for a scholarship for criminal justice students that carries his name, according to a recent report to the State Ethics Commission updating use of his political donations.

Metts had taught part-time at the Lowcountry school since the early 1990s, donating back his salary as well as raising money for it, according to federal court records.

University President Jairy Hunter wrote a letter in support of Metts’ unsuccessful bid to be sentenced to home confinement and community service instead of prison, those records say.

Metts’ fund-raising efforts that generated $200,000 for the university and refusal to take pay for teaching “speaks highly of James Metts’ character and his unselfish desire to help others,” Hunter’s letter said.

It is included in Metts’ appeal seeking to avoid imprisonment.

The appeal also features letters from three students thanking Metts for financial aid they received.

No one at Charleston Southern knew the donation was coming from Metts when they sent letters on his behalf, Lydon said.

It’s uncertain what other groups will benefit from the nearly $80,000 in political money that Metts has left after the allocation to Charleston Southern

Metts and deputies raised money, food, toys and clothing for several Midlands charities during his 42-year career as sheriff.

He helped create and steadily supported what’s now the Nancy Perry Children’s Shelter near Lexington for abandoned, abused and neglected youngsters in the early 1970s, his appeal said.

Deputies were required to be involved in one community service project each year while off-duty during his tenure as top county lawman, it said.

Community service will his focus after leaving prison, Metts said in court shortly before sentencing last week.

He is going to prison after pleading guilty to an offense – technically called harboring illegal aliens – stemming from a scheme in which he allegedly took money and released two Mexican immigrants from jail.

Their release was a favor for a friend who operated restaurants at which the pair worked, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors have not made public how much money Metts allegedly received. Nine other charges against him were dropped in return for his plea.

This story was originally published May 3, 2015 at 8:34 AM with the headline "Metts giving campaign surplus to charities."