‘Sensitive’ texts sent to informant land South Carolina cop in jail, authorities say
A South Carolina police officer landed in jail after cops say he shared “sensitive information” with an informant.
Brett Benjamin Bull, 33, is accused of sending text messages that described a drug operation in the Lowcountry, according to affidavits from the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.
It happened in November, while Bull was working as a narcotics detective for the North Charleston Police Department, state officials say.
North Charleston police on Tuesday didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Bull’s employment status. The officer was fired from the department last week, WCSC reports.
Officials say Bull used his position in law enforcement to share “sensitive information via cell phone texts to a known criminal confidential informant (CI) regarding an ongoing and future narcotics operation led by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.”
When the informant was arrested in December, officials found out about the texts, according to the affidavits.
In the messages, Bull described a drug “operation taking place that night and for the CI to stay away,” state officials say.
The detective’s actions allegedly compromised “the operation and safety of officers participating in the operation.”
Now, Bull is facing charges of misconduct and obstruction, state court records show.
He was arrested Tuesday and released from jail the same day, Charleston County records show. His bond was listed as $11,087.
The S.C. Law Enforcement Division started its investigation after a request from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, according to a news release.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 1:58 PM with the headline "‘Sensitive’ texts sent to informant land South Carolina cop in jail, authorities say."
