York, Chester, Lancaster cops ‘will not tolerate’ price gouging amid COVID-19 pandemic
Police and prosecutors in York, Chester, and Lancaster counties have made it clear: Try to make an illegal dollar by price-gouging on goods or services during the South Carolina coronavirus pandemic and there will be a penalty.
In the past month, about 35 complaints about price-gouging in York, Chester and Lancaster counties have been registered by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office. About 20 were in York County, prosecutors said.
All those complaints are under investigation by local law enforcement, and charges will be brought by local prosecutors if the action turns out to be illegal, prosecutors said.
“We will not tolerate price-gouging of the public during this time of emergency,” said 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett, the top prosecutor for York and Union counties. “We will direct law enforcement to investigate all legitimate complaints where anyone tries to make a quick buck off the backs of a public that is hurting. And when appropriate, charges will be brought.”
There is no percentage rise in price that automatically kicks in a price-gouging charge, said Willy Thompson, 16th Circuit Deputy Solicitor. Cases will be reviewed individually to determine the pricing discrepancy and whether a crime has been committed. And although price-gouging has no blanket number to show what is illegal, prosecutors said obvious cases of preying on the public with exorbitant costs for toilet paper or paper towels are just that — obvious.
“It would depend not only on the price but also the item(s) and the factual situation around the sale,” Thompson said. “ It is somewhat like the obscenity law...it is difficult to define, but I know it when I see it. In fact, most everyone knows it when they see it.”
S.C. law defines price gouging as “a gross disparity between the price” being charged and “the average price … in the usual course of business during the thirty days immediately before the declaration of a state of emergency,” as long as the increase is not caused by additional costs incurred or local, regional, national, or international market trends, according to the S.C. Attorney General’s office.
Price gouging is a misdemeanor under South Carolina law, with a potential penalty of 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Many of the complaints have involved staple items such as hand sanitizer, meat and eggs, officials said.
Complaints will be looked at by police agencies by geographic jurisdiction, said Brackett and Thompson. Police in Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, and Clover, and sheriff’s deputies in York County, will investigate claims made in those area, prosecutors said.
Officials vowed to prosecute offenders.
“We certainly want to protect the people of York County from price gouging,” Thompson said. “It is reprehensible to prey on people at any time, but especially during a worldwide pandemic. We intend to deal harshly with anyone who price gouges or defrauds others during this difficult time.”
Statewide, about 650 complaints had been made through Thursday, the attorney general said.
Lancaster County has had nine complaints and Chester County seven complaints through Thursday, police and prosecutors said.
South Carolina law states price gouging is an “unconscionable price,” said Randy Newman, 6th Circuit Solicitor who is the top prosecutor for Chester and Lancaster counties. Police Departments in Chester and Lancaster, along with sheriff’s offices in both counties, are investigating the claims, Newman said.
“With assistance from local law enforcement, we are looking into each one,” Newman said.
Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey vowed to bring charges against anyone who preys on the public during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Chester County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate any price gouging or any other form of scams,” Dorsey said. “We are all vulnerable to COVID-19, and the sheriff’s office is remaining vigilant in its response to any attempts to manipulate others during this time.”
Dorsey, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson, other law enforcement officials and prosecutors urged anyone to report price-gouging to their local police agency or the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.
Report price gouging
To report possible price-gouging, email pricegouging@scag.gov or go to www.scag.gov and click on the “Price Gouging Information” at the top of the page. You also can call the attorney general’s office at 803-737-3953 and leave a voice message.
Prosecutors urge people to include the following details in any complaint: time, place, address, name of the business; pictures that identify the business, along with the price; your name and contact information.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 11:16 AM.
