Hampton, Bluffton public officials indicted by Public Integrity Unit

OAKTIE, S.C. (WSAV) – Four public officials, two from Hampton and two from Bluffton, have been indicted following investigations by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

The State of South Carolina Fourteenth Judicial Circuit announced the indictments.

The Hampton defendants are former Administrator Rose Dobson-Elliott and former Hampton County Deputy Sheriff Justin Edwards.

Dobson-Elliott is charged with “embezzlement of public funds in an amount less than $10,000.”

Edwards is charged with “misconduct in office and embezzlement of public funds greater than $10,000. The charges stem from his alleged personal use of county funds between April 2019 and December 2022.”

The Bluffton defendants are Thomas Rauchfuss, a former civilian employee of the Beaufort County Police Department, and Bluffton police officer Bonificio Perez.

Rauchfuss is charged with “obstruction of justice, stemming from his alleged theft of firearm(s) from the department in April 2024.”

Perez is charged with “misconduct in office, stemming from alleged assistance he gave to Rauchfuss in the theft of firearm(s).”

“This incident exemplifies the department’s commitment to holding officers accountable,” the Bluffton Police Department said in a statement. “The situation underscores the importance of the Bluffton Police Department’s ‘Duty to Intervene’ policy, which mandates that officers act when they witness another officer violating laws or department policies. Chief Joe Babkiewicz has consistently encouraged all officers to correct improper behavior by holding each other accountable or reporting it.”

No court date has been set for these defendants.