Owner Charged with Unlawful Possession of Liquor

A Johnston man had his moonshine still confiscated by the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office after he was found to be in possession of an illegal distillery device. According to a report filed by the ECSO, an incident at Strom Thurmond High School earlier in the month led deputies to a home on Franklin Road in Johnston where a distillery apparatus was found in a white metal shed on the property. Additionally, two unlabeled jars, one containing a clear liquid and the other a brown liquid, were found on the premises. The owner of the home claimed the still as his but stated he was not producing moonshine. He stated the jar of clear liquid found was store bought moonshine and the brown liquid was moonshine given to him by an unknown friend.

The ECSO confiscated both jars of moonshine and the still which was not in operation at the time of seizure. A spokesperson with the ECSO confirmed the man was issued one citation in connection with this incident; unlawful possession of liquor.

According to the ECSO, it is a felony to possess any type of unlicensed distillery device. Additionally, it is unlawful to possess any type of untaxed alcohol. Chapter 6, Article 1 of the SC Alcoholic Beverage Control Act states that the only type of alcohol excluded from the ABC Act is wine when it is manufactured or made for home consumption and which is not sold by the maker or by any other person.

The liquid confiscated in this case will be sent to the SC Law Enforcement Division for final analysis. The ECSOs investigation into this matter is ongoing.