Columbia, S.C. – Immediately following the indictment of Greenville County Sheriff Will Lewis, Governor Henry McMaster today issued Executive Order 2018-15, suspending Lewis from office and appointing former Greenville County Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown to serve as interim sheriff until Lewis is acquitted, convicted, the indictment is otherwise disposed of, or until a sheriff is elected and qualifies in the next general election for county sheriffs.

Brown, who served as Greenville County Sheriff for six terms beginning in 1972, most recently served as South Carolina’s U.S. marshal when he was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002.

In a statement posted to social media platforms in October of 2017, Governor McMaster called for Sheriff Lewis to resign and said, “If I could remove him from office, I most certainly would.”