Does the Sheriff have a Lovechild in "his" Jail for Double Murder?

Long rumored to be an indiscretion with an informant before PJ Tanner won his first election, details surrounding this young man are shrouded in secrecy - and anomalies.

An Old (Alleged) Affair

When Sheriff PJ Tanner of Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was taking questions from the audience at Battery Creek High School during his 2022 campaign, he was asked about local crime by one of his constituents,

“Well, what about your boy?” to which Tanner responded, “Oh, I just have dogs, no children.” But then the local resident got specific, “I’m talking about Dionte.”

left to right: Sheriff PJ Tanner and accused murderer, Dionte Mitchell

The silence, blushing, and palpable discomfort that ensued from the longstanding sheriff was confirmation for many that night. An investigation of this decades old rumor is certainly overdue, but it seems many do not want to go near this sensitive scuttlebutt.

DIONTE MITCHELL

Tanner had been with BCSO for nearly 20 years and was just starting his new role as sheriff when Dionte Mitchell of Seabrook was born to an (alleged) BCSO drug informant.

from Dionte Mitchell’s Facebook page

Criminal Behavior that is Treated “Oddly”

From a young age, Mitchell appeared destined to find trouble, and when he began garnering attention from BCSO in 2019, the mounding number of odd inconsistencies strongly suggest that there is definitely a backstory.

A Teenager Charged with Extortion

As a teen with a learner’s permit, Mitchell was pulled over by BCSO in what seemed like a normal traffic stop, but it would be coded as extortion with a threat to reputation.

Reputation of whom?

The incident report associated with this charge provides no explanation for who was at risk in the teen’s ‘threat to injure reputation.’ The report is essentially blank, with no narrative, and multiple attempts to locate the former officer (R. Lewis) have been unsuccessful to date.

A Grossly Lacking FOIA

The dashcam footage of the incident was requested and obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in the hopes that it would shed light on Mitchell’s attempt at extortion - was it Sheriff Tanner’s reputation that was at risk?

Oddly, there was no audio in the dashcam video, and after multiple unsuccessful attempts to restore/improve the audio, we asked BCSO to repair and resend it. BCSO declined the request, stating that it was just bad technology, and they could not assist.

Dash cam video of the traffic stop that indicated Dionte Mitchell engaged in extortion.

Though the public is often restricted from obtaining body cam footage in South Carolina, given these unusual circumstances, we requested that BCSO supplement our FOIA request with the audio only of the body cam footage. It seemed reasonable to make the original FOIA complete given the circumstances, but the FOIA officer and County Attorney refused this also.

A Double Murder and a Disappearance

Following the December 4, 2021, shooting death of 74-year-old Flora Mae Gantt and 30-year-old Shaina Mulligan, an investigation resulted in an arrest warrant for Dionte Mitchell. Though Mitchell had been questioned by BCSO about the shooting shortly after the incident, BCSO announced in early January 2022 that they were not able to locate Mitchell.

At the time, BCSO reported that Mitchell had likely fled South Carolina. Mitchell had grown up around Beaufort, attended schools in the community, and despite his limited resources, he indeed had fled.

On June 21, 2022, the U.S. Marshals arrested Mitchell in Queens, New York. After being extradited back to Beaufort, on July 28, 2022, bond was set at $250,000: $100,000 for each murder and $50,000 for possessing a weapon during the commission of a crime.

Not a Flight Risk?

Though bond being set at a quarter of a million dollars may sound cost-prohibitive, it was not. The “total premium price” set by the bond company was $25,000, and the “down payment” price set to buy Mitchell’s freedom was just 25% of $25,000.

So after roughly 4 months of incarceration, an accused double murderer who had somehow fled 800+ miles to avoid arrest was released on bond for less than $7,000.

Bond company contract for Dionte Mitchell.

A Nameless “Attorney” Paid Cash Bond

Though family members contributed to Mitchell’s non-refundable bond, the lion’s share ($5,000) of the bond was paid in cash by an unnamed person simply named “attorney.” The personal identifiers for the other (minor) contributors to Mitchell’s bond were incredibly specific, hence the redactions. The bondsman’s notes even describe the “heirs’ property,” yet a nameless person who may be an attorney, though not necessarily the inmate’s attorney, does not need identification? (And the bond company insists this is perfectly compliant with South Carolina law).

Notes detailing how bond for Dionte Mitchell was paid.

Bond Revocation

Once bonded out, Mitchell’s house arrest stipulated a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., no contact with the victims, and the avoidance of illegal substances and firearms. After learning that Mitchell had contacted his victim(s) via SnapChat where a photo of his posing with an automatic weapon was also posted, the Honorable Craig Brown revoked his bond on February 22, 2023.

Judge Brown’s order for revocation of bond was for only 90 days, and though Mitchell’s attorney, Juan Tolley, Esq., moved the Court to reinstate bond on May 11, 2023, this was also denied by the Court.

Dionte Mitchell at time of bond revocation.

Tanner’s Accountability - or Lack Thereof

As sheriff, Tanner has no job description, sets his own hours, plays golf when it suits him, and undeniably takes care of his own. If he runs in the next election and wins, he will have amassed nearly half a century at BCSO.

As featured in a prior Substack article as well as on Big Patriot Radio’s House of Cards by Mike Covert, Tanner recently made a position at BCSO where one does not (and should not) exist according to South Carolina statutes. This was amidst a groundswell of reports that nefarious activities may be occurring at the “fish camp,” which may have been built by “volunteers” promised highly coveted County contracts, and the cabin may be serviced/cleaned by Tanner’s inmates forced to work it.

The Office of the Investigator General (OIG) referred the alleged misconduct involving the fish camp to SLED in early spring (following a confidential tip by this writer); however, Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office will still not confirm nor deny if SLED and/or the AG are investigating Tanner’s role in (alleged) unethical and/or criminal activity.

Did SLED provide a confidential report about criminal activity directly TO the alleged perpetrator? YES.

Tanner was clear to this writer in a recorded call that he was in receipt of the confidential OIG report that was provided to him via SLED. In an attempt at intimidation, Tanner asserted that this writer had engaged in wrongdoing by reporting his gross abuse of the office.

Sheriff was audibly upset when he read, verbatim, the confidential complaint sent to OIG in the spring regarding his own (alleged) misconduct that SLED was directed to investigate.

Willful Blindness by the SLED Chief?

It seems imperative to consider that Tanner was on a small, select committee with Governor McMaster, former Governor Haley, and Haley’s husband who chose Mark Keel for his lucrative position as SLED chief.

Doesn’t this background pose a significant conflict of interest that would preclude Keel et al from investigating Tanner?

IF pursing justice, again… IF, it seems Keel would need to recuse himself and his agency to avoid the appearance of impropriety, much like Solicitor Duffie Stone (eventually) did for the Murdaughs. A potential - or ongoing - investigation involving Sheriff PJ Tanner would lack credibility unless given to an unbiased investigative agency. As the chief law enforcement officer with a $39M budget and a staff of 341, certainly Tanner understands the need for transparency.

Please add your vote here on the investigation of Sheriff Tanner. Readers can also follow this link to provide tips to the FBI and/or contact FBI Agent Clay Trippi investigating public corruption at ctrippi@fbi.gov or 803.260.0850.