By Felicia Kitzmiller
A Lyman police officer was
arrested by the State Law Enforcement Division and charged with obstruction of
justice and misconduct in office Monday afternoon.
Mayor Rodney Turner released a
statement a short time later stating Michael Hames, 44, of 202 Overhead Bridge
Road in Chesnee is on administrative leave pending the outcome of SLED's investigation.
SLED was unable to provide a
copy of the warrants Monday night, but SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson read
the narrative of the warrant via phone.
Between Aug. 12 and Aug. 16,
Hames is accused of “knowingly and willfully” altering and destroying evidence
related to an active criminal investigation, Richardson said.
According to the warrant
information, Richardson said, this was done “to impede, obstruct, interfere
with or influence proper administration of the criminal justice function.”
Richardson would not say what
investigation Hames is accused of interfering with, nor would she say what
evidence was destroyed or how. She said the investigation into the incident is
ongoing.
Turner did not immediately
return phone calls inquiring whether Hames would receive pay while on leave and
how long the officer has worked for the department.
In 1987, Hames pleaded guilty
to three counts of grand larceny, two counts of burglary and one count of
arson, according to online court documents. In 1992, Hames received a full
pardon, the Herald-Journal reported in a 1996 article.
