Multiple sources familiar with the joint federal-state raid of the town of South Congaree, S.C. tell FITS that agents collected information from town offices related to the “Lexington Ring.”
What sort of information were they seeking? And what did they find? It’s not immediately clear … although we have confirmed that the town’s chief of police and administrator have been placed on paid administrative leave in the wake of the raid.
For those of you who’ve forgotten, the “Lexington Ring” is a cabal of corrupt politicians and crooked cops accused of running an illegal video poker operation based out of Lexington County, S.C.
Last spring, several lengthy recordings of one of the ring’s alleged members – Lexington, S.C. town councilman Danny Frazier – were provided to S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley and the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), her cabinet agency.
In the recordings, Frazier outlined the inner workings of its operation to a prospective client – dropping the names of several Midlands, S.C. leaders including Lexington, S.C. Sheriff Jimmy Metts, Columbia, S.C. mayor Steve Benjamin, former S.C. Senator Jakie Knotts (RINO-Lexington) and S.C. Senator Ronnie Cromer (RINO-Newberry).
Also mentioned in the recordings? Jason Amodio, South Congaree’s chief of police – who has been accused of providing protection for video poker machines run by the “ring.”
Frazier originally denied making the statements contained in the recordings, but later changed his tune and said he fabricated them in an effort to make himself appear influential.
Amazingly, nothing was done with these tapes until last August, when a Columbia, S.C. alternative media outlet – The Free Times – published a story based on them. Bizarrely, though, The Free Times never followed up on its report – and destroyed the evidence it had received.
Hmmmm …
Fortunately a pair of news outlets – this website and WIS TV 10 (NBC – Columbia, S.C.) – aggressively followed up on the report, and the saga of the “Lexington Ring” turned into one of the biggest news stories of the year.
Well … until it fizzled out anyway.
Two months ago, though, it was reported that a statewide grand jury had received a report on the ring and that indictments in the case were “imminent.”
Of course we’ve heard that song and dance before …
Meanwhile sources close to the “ring” tell FITS the scandal has been overblown from the beginning and that there would be no indictments stemming from the grand jury investigation.
“Maybe some ethics fines, no indictments,” this source told us.
Frankly that sort of prediction strikes us as overly optimistic. Remember, the “ring” is full of some really, really bad dudes. In fact its activities are said to include misappropriated public funds, prostitution and even murder.
Will any of them ever be brought to justice for their activities? That remains to be seen …
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26 comments
yawwwnnnnn…some one wake me when something exciting happens…like when the crickets start chirping
They’ve been chirping for decades on this. The sound seems to be coming from the direction of SLED headquarters.
Whatever is going on, I pray that this time, a full investigation be done, and that if certain persons are involved in wrong doing that justice will be handed out. It’s been a long time coming. It’s a shame when citizens are afraid to speak out about the things they have observed or heard with their own ears and. they can’t do anything about it without fear for themselves and their families. Sometimes there is a bad apple in the barrel and whether they want to or not, the other apples start smelling. That’s not fair. Sometimes the whole barrel is rotten. In this case I hope it’s just one or two, if any.
yawwwnnnnn…some one wake me when something exciting happens…like when the crickets start chirping
They’ve been chirping for decades on this. The sound seems to be coming from the direction of SLED headquarters.
Whatever is going on, I pray that this time, a full investigation be done, and that if certain persons are involved in wrong doing that justice will be handed out. It’s been a long time coming. It’s a shame when citizens are afraid to speak out about the things they have observed or heard with their own ears and. they can’t do anything about it without fear for themselves and their families. Sometimes there is a bad apple in the barrel and whether they want to or not, the other apples start smelling. That’s not fair. Sometimes the whole barrel is rotten. In this case I hope it’s just one or two, if any.
There is a gigantic campaign contribution scandal about video gaming money going to scads of con-servative NC legislators and their con-servative governor, who has had to get rid of the contributions by giving them to charity or whatever.
Since we had some people busted here connected to that Florida bunch that got busted there a couple of months ago, it makes one wonder why no enterprising SC journalists have decided to delve into campaign contributions here.
Jodie Barr from wis news did and discovered that lexington county sheriff James Metts and former senator jakie Knotts received 1000.00’s of dollars from the illegal video poker industry. James Metts eventually return only 5,000.00 dollars back to the video poker industry,universal machines, which is owned by bret blanks, while jakie Knotts begged for more money from them. Town of lexington councilman Danny Frazier said on a three hour audio recording admitting he was a consultant for universal machines which is one company that produces video poker machines in lexington county. It was also discovered that Frazier was on sheriff James Metts payroll as a consultant. Danny is on tape bragging how he has lexington county law enforcement on lock down because he got Jason Amodio the chief’s job in south Congaree, Dennis Tyndall chief’s job in west Columbia along with doing senator’s dirty work for them. It was also confirm that Frazier was on the payroll for the city of west Columbia as a consultant. All these corrupt sob’s need to be arrested and a massive clean up of lexington county could begin.
… good luck with that thought
The “Ring”, all of their associates and the whores, sluts they hang with all need to go. The County, State and humanity would be much better without any of them. I’v had the misfortune to be in the company and presence of all, heard their conversations and drunken, or high bragging and sickening conversations. Take them all!
Frazier and Cynthia and Wendy, Metts and Carol, James, Owens, Halfacre and Angelaa, Sondra, Peeler and Donna, Myers, Amodia, Tindle, Livingston, Bedinger. Drag them all off in chains!
Lets see how the criminal does with allegations of money laundering, murder, meth labs, prostitution,
There is a gigantic campaign contribution scandal about video gaming money going to scads of con-servative NC legislators and their con-servative governor, who has had to get rid of the contributions by giving them to charity or whatever.
Since we had some people busted here connected to that Florida bunch that got busted there a couple of months ago, it makes one wonder why no enterprising SC journalists have decided to delve into campaign contributions here.
Jodie Barr from wis news did and discovered that lexington county sheriff James Metts and former senator jakie Knotts received 1000.00’s of dollars from the illegal video poker industry. James Metts eventually return only 5,000.00 dollars back to the video poker industry,universal machines, which is owned by bret blanks, while jakie Knotts begged for more money from them. Town of lexington councilman Danny Frazier said on a three hour audio recording admitting he was a consultant for universal machines which is one company that produces video poker machines in lexington county. It was also discovered that Frazier was on sheriff James Metts payroll as a consultant. Danny is on tape bragging how he has lexington county law enforcement on lock down because he got Jason Amodio the chief’s job in south Congaree, Dennis Tyndall chief’s job in west Columbia along with doing senator’s dirty work for them. It was also confirm that Frazier was on the payroll for the city of west Columbia as a consultant. All these corrupt sob’s need to be arrested and a massive clean up of lexington county could begin.
… good luck with that thought
The “Ring”, all of their associates and the whores, sluts they hang with all need to go. The County, State and humanity would be much better without any of them. I’v had the misfortune to be in the company and presence of all, heard their conversations and drunken, or high bragging and sickening conversations. Take them all!
Frazier and Cynthia and Wendy, Metts and Carol, James, Owens, Halfacre and Angelaa, Sondra, Peeler and Donna, Myers, Amodia, Tindle, Livingston, Bedinger. Drag them all off in chains!
Lets see how the criminal does with allegations of money laundering, murder, meth labs, prostitution,
So here is the thing. Most folks in Lexington believe and have always believed that our “officials” were and are dirty. But, we also know they are so high up that nothing will ever get done. So, you can report on this all you want, but it will not change anything. So, we will just keep on electing these folks because if a certain sheriff finds out someone is running against him, well, he just gives them a job and they don’t.
So here is the thing. Most folks in Lexington believe and have always believed that our “officials” were and are dirty. But, we also know they are so high up that nothing will ever get done. So, you can report on this all you want, but it will not change anything. So, we will just keep on electing these folks because if a certain sheriff finds out someone is running against him, well, he just gives them a job and they don’t.
I think it is funny that SLED/FBI needed to have a “raid” when they only found a couple pieces of paper, which have led to nothing. It takes 12 FBI agents to find 12 pieces of paper? This is all politics. They had the “raid” on the same exact day that they searched the poker machine owner’s house. Perfect planning. South Congaree is a small fish, an easy target. You’ll notice a “raid” has not been done on Sheriff Mett’s office…even though he admitted to illegal activity. This is a JOKE. I hope that Chief Amodio steps down, and that sorry excuse for a town can go back to how it was before he arrived, a crime filled redneck hole. You can’t deal with rednecks, it is just not possible. They are ignorant and uneducated. If people have power, and they want to end your career, they will. Next week, this story will not even be relevant.
The citizens of South Congaree hope he does also!
Unfortunately, this is true. “Ignorant and uneducated” is how the politicians like to keep the electorate. Neither the FBI or SLED have any real interest in eliminating the corruption in South Carolina. It’s all for show.
CDA1012 Chelsea D. Amodio. She slams our town that gave her father a position–a job that’s paid for her home, cars, and clothes via embezzled money from our community. Funny how ungrateful some can be when karma catches up. Slam the town for a grown man’s decision to cover up criminal activity when he promised to protect us. When that doesn’t work, hell, put the blame on someone more important than your daddy. Here’s a life lesson, Sweetheart, from a redneck who has had her town turned into a speed trap to produce under the table money for your family: Greed will bring destruction while honesty will bring success.
I think it is funny that SLED/FBI needed to have a “raid” when they only found a couple pieces of paper, which have led to nothing. It takes 12 FBI agents to find 12 pieces of paper? This is all politics. They had the “raid” on the same exact day that they searched the poker machine owner’s house. Perfect planning. South Congaree is a small fish, an easy target. You’ll notice a “raid” has not been done on Sheriff Mett’s office…even though he admitted to illegal activity. This is a JOKE. I hope that Chief Amodio steps down, and that sorry excuse for a town can go back to how it was before he arrived, a crime filled redneck hole. You can’t deal with rednecks, it is just not possible. They are ignorant and uneducated. If people have power, and they want to end your career, they will. Next week, this story will not even be relevant.
The citizens of South Congaree hope he does also!
Unfortunately, this is true. “Ignorant and uneducated” is how the politicians like to keep the electorate. Neither the FBI or SLED have any real interest in eliminating the corruption in South Carolina. It’s all for show.
CDA1012 Chelsea D. Amodio. She slams our town that gave her father a position–a job that’s paid for her home, cars, and clothes via embezzled money from our community. Funny how ungrateful some can be when karma catches up. Slam the town for a grown man’s decision to cover up criminal activity when he promised to protect us. When that doesn’t work, hell, put the blame on someone more important than your daddy. Here’s a life lesson, Sweetheart, from a redneck who has had her town turned into a speed trap to produce under the table money for your family: Greed will bring destruction while honesty will bring success.