FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – A former Pee Dee school board candidate is trying to clear his name after the blackmail and extortion charges against him were dropped.
Will Breazeale was charged with blackmail and extortion charges in August 2016, but the 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office confirms those charges have been dropped. Breazeale held a press conference at his home on Devonshire Drive Tuesday where he voiced his belief that the charges were “politically motivated,” and he’s fighting back.
“I’m just a guy that’s trying to serve the public,” said Breazeale on the front steps of his home Tuesday morning. “Most people that have criticized me have never worn the uniform or gone to war three times. I didn’t do that to get rich. I did it to serve my country, and I wish people would see that.”
The Former Florence District One School Board of Trustees candidate read a statement, distributed a press packet including a letter from the solicitor’s office confirming the felony charges were dismissed, and took questions from media gathered on his lawn.
Breazeale filed complaints with the Department of Justice against the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and Florence Police Department, and, according to his statement, also plans to file a complaint with the South Carolina Attorney General’s office and SLED concerning conditions at the Florence County Detention Center.
In closing, Breazeale revealed that he plans to move to Las Vegas for a job as an airline pilot, but can’t rule out a possible future in politics.
