SUMTER MAGISTRATE SUSPENDED, ASKED TO STEP DOWN

The state Supreme Court has suspended the judgeship of Warren Curtis days
after the Sumter County magistrate was arrested on drug charges.

CURTIS

Curtis was placed on interim suspension Monday by the court's chief justice
"because he has been charged with a serious crime ... and because he could
pose a substantial threat to the public and to the administration of
justice," a Supreme Court order reads.

Curtis, 43, was arrested last Thursday in the parking lot of a Food Lion on
U.S. 378 and charged with distribution of cocaine, possession with intent
to distribute cocaine and possession of cocaine within one-half mile of a
school.

The arrest came after about a month of investigation by the State Law
Enforcement Division and the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, officials say.
Curtis was a partner in the Weinberg and Brown law firm for several years
and served as chairman of the Sumter County Republican Party before Sens.
John Land, D-Manning, and Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, landed him a
magistrate's seat in April.

He was scheduled to assume the position of Sumter County's chief magistrate
on July 1. The suspension leaves a vacancy in the magistrate's office that
could require a prompt replacement.

The current chief magistrate, George McFaddin, will assume a family court
judgeship next month.

"We'll be moving quickly on that," Land said Tuesday. "We're not at the
point where we can name names right now."

Land added that a resignation by Curtis might be in order. "I'm sure he
will do what is best for the magistrate's office, and that is to resign,"
Land said.

Curtis would not comment on either the charges or his future plans. If
convicted, Curtis could serve up to 15 years in jail, 3rd Circuit Solicitor
Kelly Jackson said. The charges carry a maximum fine of $25,000, he said.
Police reports indicate an undercover officer purchased or shared cocaine
from Curtis on at least two separate occasions.

On Wednesday of last week, an officer reported purchasing a quantity of
cocaine at Curtis' Wise Drive home at about noon. At about 5:55 p.m. the
next day, in a so-called buy-bust operation conducted by the Sumter County
Drug Unit, Curtis was arrested and found to be in possession of an
estimated 3.5 grams of cocaine.

Both reports indicate Curtis was using cocaine and alcohol at the time of
the alleged offenses. He was charged with violation of an open container
law after officers found an open can of beer in his car at the time of the
arrest.

Curtis was taken into custody at the Sumter County Correctional Center and
released Friday on a $10,000 surety bond, set by 3rd Circuit Judge Howard
P. King. He was issued a courtesy summons on the open container charge.

County Administrator Bill Noonan said Curtis' pay is in the process of
being suspended. The county government is not obligated to pay Curtis
during the suspension, the Supreme Court order reads. Curtis has also been
ordered "to deliver all books, records, funds, property and documents
relating to his office to the Chief Magistrate of Sumter County," according
to the order.

Curtis will not be tried until an analysis by SLED confirms that the seized
substance is in fact cocaine, said Jackson. If the analysis is received in
time, Curtis will be placed on the docket for the July 22 term of general
sessions court.

Jackson said that, at the current time, it appears he will prosecute the case.