York County Council Members Mailed Death Threats Over Vote On Controversial Development

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Death threats against local leaders and their families. They say the threats came through the mail.

The two York County Council members who received them say these threats are over the controversial Silfab Solar panel plant project.

York County Council woman Christi Cox shared during Monday’s Council meeting, that someone sent a threatening letter to her home.

“I recently received a death threat,” Chairwoman Cox said. “My children checked our mail, and my whole family was gathered around our kitchen table when it was received.”

Cox says the sender wants to put a stop to Silfab Solar moving into Fort Mill. The writing in the letter to cox said that the sender is willing to take her life for it.

“That if I did not put a stop to that development, that my family would regret it. That I would die,” Cox said during Monday’s Council meeting.

The Silfab Solar development is a controversial topic for County Council. Many Fort Mill residents are against the $150 million project. It is still up in the air whether or not the development project will be approved.

County Councilman William ‘Bump’ Roddey says no matter which side of the Silfab Solar debate you’re on, violence is not the answer.

Roddey also received a letter threatening him and his family. It came to the County’s P.O. box. Roddey said he opened it just as Cox shared news about the letter she received.

“Very disturbing to see that, you know, someone would go to those lengths to try to convince us to to change a vote,” Roddey said.

Roddey has no clue who would send these threats. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division now has both of the letters sent to Roddey and Cox and is working to find who mailed them.

SLED officials confirmed they are investigating and can’t share much. Whoever wrote these letters could face a felony charge that carries up to five years in jail and a possible $5,000 fine.

The York County Sheriff’s Office says security was increased at Monday’s County Council meeting as a precaution and to account for more attendees. Increased security likely won’t happen again as Council will be on break for the next month.