Alleged vote buying leads to arrest of former candidate

By Ruben Lowman

A detailed investigation into allegations of election interference has resulted in the arrest of a former candidate for the Loris City Council.

Lester Lamar Jordan, 40, was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in late February 2026, facing serious charges of procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery along with multiple counts of check fraud.

The charges stem from a series of incidents documented during the 2025 election cycle, where authorities allege Jordan used financial incentives to influence local voters.

The investigation centered heavily on Jordan’s own social media activity, specifically a series of Facebook Live broadcasts. According to police reports, Jordan recorded himself at Loris City Hall on Sept. 29, 2025, openly inviting residents over the age of 18 who were eligible to vote to meet him so he could pay their September and October water bills.

During the stream, Jordan reportedly displayed his checkbook and encouraged participants to chant his campaign slogan, Lamar for Loris, while being filmed.

Investigators noted that he explicitly coached individuals to promote his candidacy on camera in exchange for the payment of their utility accounts.

Law enforcement documented additional instances of similar behavior at other local venues. In one video, Jordan was seen at a local eatery offering to buy ice cream for anyone who appeared and pledged their vote to him. In another, he filmed himself at a restaurant telling followers he would send them money via Cash App if they posted videos using his campaign chant and tagged him.

While some witnesses interviewed by police claimed Jordan’s actions were born out of general generosity and that they did not hear him mention the election, other evidence and recordings suggested a direct link between the financial gifts and his quest for a council seat.

During a non-custodial interview with his attorney present in December 2025, Jordan denied the allegations of vote-buying, asserting that he is a man of service who simply enjoys helping the community. He argued that he had paid bills for residents in the past without publicity and maintained that his actions at city hall were unrelated to the municipal election.

Despite his defense, a judge found sufficient probable cause in January 2026 to issue warrants for his arrest. Following his unsuccessful bid for office, Jordan now faces the legal consequences of the bribery and fraud charges as the case moves toward the judicial system.