Episode 1: The Rise of Wright

Sun, 31 May 2026 04:05:00 +0000

For twenty years, Chuck Wright was the law in Spartanburg County. Then the law came for him.

In Season 1, Episode 1 of FOX Carolina Investigates: Chuck Wright, we go back to the very beginning — rewinding the tape to 2004, when a deputy from a small mill town pulled off a stunning political upset and became one of the most powerful men in Upstate South Carolina.

He won six elections. He launched Operation Rolling Thunder. He showed up at crime scenes, chased suspects and built a reputation as a tough, God-fearing lawman. But behind the badge, warning signs were there — if you knew where to look.

In 2016, a former colleague went to the FBI. He had documents. He had concerns. And he had a warning that almost nobody took seriously. Wright denied it all. No charges. No consequences. Not yet.

With Wright's federal sentencing now weeks away, FOX Carolina's senior investigative reporter Grace Runkel breaks down the rise of a man whose fall would shock an entire county.

🎧 New episodes every Monday. Follow so you never miss one.