South Carolina mayoral candidate attempted to stage a kidnapping

I just had to share this with you, and must say if you want publicity this is not how to do it. To stage a crime on yourself just to garner sympathy only for yourself to be proven a fraud will cause a good number of people to turn on you. This is an absurdity.

I just had to read up on this:

Sabrina Belcher, 29, of Cabelas Place, was arrested Wednesday and charged with filing a false police report of a felony and conspiracy. According to Tonyia McGirt, public information officer for the Sumter Police Department, Belcher said she planned the incident, recorded it and posted it on social media.

Officers were called to the police department before 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday and met with Belcher, who reported she was assaulted and kidnapped by an unknown man during an attempted robbery, McGirt said. McGirt said Belcher was injured and that her vehicle windows had been knocked out. Belcher was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital and later released.

Belcher reportedly provided a fake name of her attacker.

Officers claim Belcher worked with Christopher James Eaddy, 34, of Olive Street, to plan and stage the incident. Eaddy was also arrested on Wednesday and charged with conspiracy.

Warrants state Eaddy conspired with Belcher to fabricate a criminal incident in order to falsely report a felony staged in the Hoyt Street area. The warrants also said Eaddy told officers Belcher hired him to help stage the incident and make it look like an opposing candidate in the election was behind the attack. According to the warrants, Belcher agreed to pay Eaddy to damage her vehicle and simulate assault.

Both were taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, where jail records show Belcher was given two $5,000 surety bonds. She had not posted bond as of press time Thursday. Eaddy was given a $5,000 personal recognizance bond and was released Thursday, according to Deputy Adrienne Sarvis, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.

Police say the incident was meant to “garner publicity, sympathy and votes in the November election,” that Belcher reportedly attempted to “discredit a fellow candidate in the recording” and had “ongoing plans to smear other mayoral candidates prior to the election.”

I think a facepalm emoji would be appropriate in this instance. Of course this is one of things that will remain a footnote and we may forget about it in time. But this is absurd.

The title of the latest video by Anthony Brian Logan (ABL) was what led me to this story. You see a bit of the FB live stream where you hear the alleged phony attacker/kidnapper bark instructions and Ms. Belcher screaming fearfully. It seems harrowing but when ABL speaks he watches it intently and he already knows he's not buying it. [VIDEO]