Carpenter: “Detention Center acting director no longer with county.”
WINNSBORO – The Fairfield County Detention Center’s (FCDC) compliance with regulations required by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) is in question… again.
A source in the government, who asked not to be named, told The Voice that the regulations in question pertain to failure to properly file reports with the state concerning documentation of training and other Detention Center requirements.
“We are working closely with SCCJA to ensure FCDC remains in good standing,” Fairfield County Administrator Vic Carpenter said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “The County is unaware whether SCCJA has made any final determination regarding FCDC’s compliance with state regulations.”
Scott Deckard, an investigator with the Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, told The Voice on Friday, May 15, that the investigation is ongoing.
“We’re still looking into that matter and we can’t provide any information on that at this time,” Deckard said when asked about any penalty that might result from the investigation.
Previous Violations
It was only a little over six months ago, on Oct. 22, 2025, that the S.C. Law Enforcement Training Council fined the county $55,000 and placed it under a $1M, two-year probation period for staffing violations. Carpenter later said those violations were primarily the result of failure to properly file paperwork documenting certain employee and staffing issues.
The Criminal Justice Academy’s notification of penalties at that time stated: “[The County] shall pay a civil penalty of $1,071,770 for being out of compliance with SC Code of Laws Section 23-23-40 and SC Code of Regulations 37-022, of which $1,016,770 is suspended upon immediate payment of $55,000 and successful completion of two years’ probation, quarterly audits performed by CJA, and Captain Artis successfully attending and completing Training Manager Development course at CJA.”
The [Detention Center] director, deputy director, and training captain were terminated, and Carpenter announced a major shuffle in supervision to right the county’s ship.
“The county’s Community and Public Services Director Joey Price has assumed the role of acting director of the Detention Center [while simultaneously overseeing the Animal Shelter, Animal Control, Emergency Management, and E9-11]. A major effort to find a replacement for the director’s position has already begun,” Carpenter announced. “It is the commitment of Fairfield County that its Detention Center will always be run in a fashion and manner that are always compliant with state and federal regulations and the law. And that it be run in a fashion that brings credit and comfort to our citizens.
“If we get past two years with no further problems, then there will be no fine beyond the $55,000,” Carpenter told The Voice. “But, if, during that two years, we don’t take care of business as we should we could get some kind of fine,” he said.
On May 4, the county officially welcomed Alvin Graber as the new Director of the Detention Center. Graber comes to the county with 28 years’ experience with the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
While Carpenter has not discussed details concerning the issue, on Thursday, May 14, he told The Voice that Joey Price, who had been overseeing the Detention Center, is no longer with the county, effective Wednesday, May 13, but that he could not discuss the situation further.
Later that day, The Voice learned from sources within the county government that the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy was once again looking into whether the county was properly filing documentation concerning training and other employee matters.
On Friday morning, Carpenter issued the following statement:
“Fairfield County is currently reviewing the status of the Fairfield County Detention Center’s (FCDC) compliance with regulations from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA). We are working closely with SCCJA to ensure FCDC remains in good standing. The County is unaware whether SCCJA has made any final determination regarding FCDC’s compliance with state regulations.”
This is a developing story, and more information will be posted as it becomes available.