Former Lexington police officer charged with illegally buying silencers: SLED

A now-former Lexington police officer falsely claimed to be on official business in order to avoid paying taxes when he purchased seven silencers, according to SLED.

James Edward Chambers Jr. was charged with official misconduct and two counts of obtaining goods under false pretenses for the improper purchases, according to a statement from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. SLED investigated the case following a request from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, who investigated the case at the request of Lexington Police Chief Terrance Green.

Chambers “did not have authorization from LPD (Lexington Police Department) to conduct any of the transactions,” according to a warrant.

The purchases were discovered after Chambers was terminated from the Lexington Police Department on Jan. 5, 2022, following an internal investigation concerning a loss of equipment, according to records obtained from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, which retains law enforcement personnel files. Chambers repeatedly lied to his superiors, investigators and even the chief of police, according to the records.

Following his termination, the department was made aware that Chambers had purchased firearms equipment under the guise of department use, according to a statement from the Lexington Police Department.

Warrants released by SLED detail how between March and September 2021, Chambers repeatedly used falsified Lexington Police Department letterhead to obtain the silencers, also called suppressors, from legitimate businesses without paying a federal tax.

Federal law requires that a $200 “tax stamp” be paid for the purchase of silencers.

On July 25, 2021, Chambers submitted a “fictitious letter” to Rugged Design, a suppressor company located in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, according to a warrant. In the letter, Chambers requested silencers “on behalf of the LPD’s SWAT unit for testing.” On Sept. 10, 2021, Rugged Design sent him three silencers, saving Chambers $600 in tax stamps.

On March 18 and Aug. 11, Chambers used the “fictitious letterhead” to purchase four silencers from Kilo Charlie Weaponry in Lexington, saving himself $800 in taxes, according to the warrant.

Among the silencers purchased, according to SLED, were a Dead Air Sandman K, two Yankee Hill Inc. Turbo Ks and a Rugged Obsidian 9.

Chambers was booked at the Lexington County Detention Center, according to SLED. No information about bond has been made available. He had been employed by the Lexington Police Department between 2019 and 2022. Previously he was employed by the Columbia Police Department from 2017 to 2019.

The case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.