SC emergency management officer arrested on drug charges • SC Daily Gazette

COLUMBIA — The chief spokesman for South Carolina's Emergency Management Agency is accused of distributing meth in the parking lot of the agency responsible for disaster relief in the state.

Lexington County Sheriff's officials obtained an arrest warrant for Charles “Derrec” Becker on the afternoon of September 19, 2024. Columbia Police arrested Becker at his home the next day (Friday) and extradited him to Lexington County. He is accused ofPossession with the intent todistribute methamphetamine, according to the sheriff's incident report.

Becker, 43, declined to comment Tuesday when contacted by the SC Daily Gazette.

Lexington County officials were called to the Emergency Management Division headquarters in West Columbia on September 17, 2024, after a ziplock bag was found in the parking lot.

According to a statement from Sheriff's Department spokesman Adam Myrick, surveillance camera footage shows a person – presumably Becker – putting down the bag containing more than two grams of meth and other unspecified drug paraphernalia and walking away while on the phone.

Becker was released from the Lexington County Detention Center on Saturday morning with an obligation to appear in court or post $10,000 bail.

The agency did not immediately respond to a message from the Gazette on Tuesday.

Becker, a former reporter, has been spokesman for the emergency management department since 2008 and head of public relations since 2017.