Former Allendale major sues sheriff, alleging harassment and retaliation

ALLENDALE, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A former high‑ranking officer at the Allendale County Sheriff’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Sheriff James Freeman and the sheriff’s office.In the complaint filed on October 11, former Major Erica Abram alleges Freeman subjected her to a hostile work environment, launched a baseless internal investigation after she complained and then damaged her reputation with false statements to other police departments when she tried to move on.Abram began working in law enforcement in 2019 and eventually rose to the rank of major — the third‑highest position at the Allendale County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), according to the filing. She served as a training officer and handled inventory for the agency.Alleged Pattern of Sexual HarassmentThe lawsuit claims Freeman’s conduct toward Abram began with remarks about her appearance and escalated into explicit sexual comments and behavior.Abram says Freeman repeatedly told her that her uniform pants were “too tight.” In o