Four McBee leaders face charges in SLED traffic ticket investigation

MCBEE, S.C. (WBTV) – An investigation into McBee’s Police Department is growing. The town’s mayor turned himself in Tuesday, as multiple town leaders are accused of pressuring police to increase traffic enforcement to generate money instead of focusing on public safety.

For years, many South Carolina drivers have been known to hit the brakes when driving through McBee. Now, investigators say there may have been more behind the traffic stops the town has become known for.

McBee Mayor Glenn Odom turned himself in on Tuesday, July 28, at the Chesterfield County Detention Center.

Odom is the fourth town leader facing misconduct and conspiracy charges alongside Police Chief Tim Knight, former Police Chief Mike Irvin and officer Greg Block.

Investigators said officers with the McBee Police Department were pressured to meet ticket quotas to help generate money for the town. This came months after the town applied for two federal loans totaling more than $178,000.

Court documents include texts between Mayor Odom and Chief Irvin in which Odom allegedly asked whether six officers could write 12 tickets a month to help pay for a new patrol car and equipment. More texts showed the mayor checking in with officers to see how many tickets they had written each day.

“Just over $1,000 worth of tickets. I was one of the first people to get caught up in this ticket quota scam,” said former Chesterfield County resident Natalie Deese.

In 2024, Deese said she got four tickets totaling more than $1,000 in a single day. They were for speeding, disregarding a sign, a vehicle license violation and operating an uninsured vehicle.

“He got me for a bunch of stuff. I think the highest ticket that he got me for was for about $400 and something dollars I want to say. And then it just kind of gradually went down. And then the lowest one I believe was like $180,” Deese said.

Deese said McBee has been known for its speed traps. Now, she said this validates what so many have shared for years.

“I’m glad. I’m happy to see all of them arrested that they can’t do this to nobody else no more. Like, I’m just genuinely relieved you know that there’s finally something being done about it,” Deese said.