Moncks Corner, South Carolina – A Berkeley County government official is facing felony charges after allegedly using a stolen credit card to make purchases throughout the Lowcountry.
Marion Turner, former chairman of the Berkeley County Planning Commission, is charged with one count of financial transaction card theft and four counts of financial transaction card fraud.
Victim Jamie Dangerfield reported that his wallet went missing earlier this month while he and his family were in the process of moving. At first, he believed he had misplaced it.
“After a few weeks, I started seeing charges appear on my account. “That’s when I realized someone had my wallet,” he explained.
The charges covered transactions at a Harris Teeter in Mount Pleasant, a Walmart Supercenter in Moncks Corner, a Murphy’s gas station, and a Dollar General. Receipts showed purchases of bread, beer, and yogurt.
Dangerfield stated that approximately $2,000 in cash was taken in total, excluding credit card use, which has caused a setback for his family.
“Every dollar counts when you’ve got a newborn at home and you’re running your own business,” he told me.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation on September 8 after Dangerfield reported the missing wallet. Detectives said they reviewed receipts, gathered surveillance footage, and identified a vehicle associated with the suspect.
Travis Richardson, a detective with the sheriff’s office, said investigators were able to obtain “perfect” surveillance video of the suspect using the stolen card at a self-service checkout. They later matched the suspect to his vehicle using camera systems and confirmed his identity.
Richardson expressed disappointment upon learning that the suspect was a county official.
“It’s hurtful because this is someone the citizens trusted to make the county better,” he told me.
Dangerfield stated that he recognized Turner’s name immediately. He knew Turner from his time at the Huger Fire Department, where he was in charge of finances. Dangerfield stated that the fire department had frequent audits and that “funds weren’t always where they were supposed to be.”
He decided to share his story on social media after learning Turner had been arrested.
“When someone in that kind of position is accused of this, people deserve to know about it,” he told me.
Richardson advised residents to closely monitor their bank accounts and sign up for push alerts, which notify cardholders whenever a transaction occurs. He stated that Dangerfield’s quick action assisted deputies in solving the case.
Turner was arrested and booked into Berkeley County Jail.
