Sharpe to pay for misdeeds

It is sad to see someone fall from a lofty position. That is the feeling from hearing of former Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Sharpe being sentenced on Friday.

Sharpe, a longtime fixture on the Aiken County Legislative Delegation, was sentenced to 24 months in prison on charges of making a false statement and extortion. Two years ago he was elected to the statewide post of agriculture commissioner and appeared to be winding up his career of public service in a distinguished position.

That came crashing down, however, when Sharpe was arrested following an undercover investigation of an illegal cockfighting enterprise in Aiken County. Sharpe was accused of lying to officials, including Sheriff Michael Hunt, and of taking a $10,000 payment from the South Carolina Gamefowl Management Association in return for trying to use his new position to promote legislation that would legitimize the cockfighting industry.

Sharpe will begin serving his prison sentence sometime after the graduation of his grandson from high school. In addition to the two-year prison term, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service.

This is indeed a sad conclusion to a career that had been devoted to public service. It taints not only this county, but our state and all those men and women who are elected to serve and do so honestly and honorably. The public trust is not to be taken lightly.

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