According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, David William Pate was fired on January 13 by Sheriff Brian Chism. The letter of termination, shared by BSCO, did not specify the reason for Pate’s dismissal. Chism’s office did not respond to a request for additional comment.
Pate, 38, was arrested by BCSO and charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic violence on January 2, according to court records. Pate was given a $500 secured bond, and his case is currently pending; he has a hearing scheduled for late April.
Pate retained Southport-based attorney Preston Brooks Hilton, who did not reply to a request for comment.
According to BCSO, Pate was hired in May of 2022. His salary at the time of his dismissal was $57,000.
When he was hired, BCSO’s Facebook page posted that Pate would be serving at the county’s detention facility. The post also noted he had previously worked with the Anchor Initiative, a program founded to combat and treat drug addiction. The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office partners with the Brunswick Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation, which acts as the fundraising arm for the Anchor Initiative.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify the relationship between the Sheriff's Office, the Brunswick Sheriff's Charitable Foundation, and the Anchor Initiative.
