SUMTER, SC – A truck driver from South Carolina faces theft charges after allegedly selling off nearly $80,000 worth of chicken that he was supposed to deliver, authorities said.

Christopher Thomas, 55, from Florence, is accused of purloining approximately 41,000 pounds of poultry he was contracted to transport for Pilgrim’s Pride Plant in Sumter. His deliveries were destined for two locations in Milton, Georgia, but authorities claim Thomas instead sold much of the chicken privately, pocketing the profits.

Following a law enforcement tip, Thomas was apprehended during a traffic stop on November 25. Sumter County Sheriff’s Office reported that at the time of his arrest, Thomas still had seven pallets, totaling 215 cases of chicken weighing 8,000 pounds, in his possession. It is assumed that the remaining 33,000 pounds had been illegally sold off.

The arrest operation was a joint effort between the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Acting on intelligence about Thomas’ planned transactions, officers coordinated a traffic stop when the suspect reached a buyer-designated meeting location.

Upon consenting to a vehicle search, Thomas’s truck revealed the remaining cases of frozen chicken, which were promptly identified as the property of Pilgrim’s Pride Plant. Following the discovery, Thomas was taken in custody and charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent and theft.

Thomas is currently on a $50,000 surety bond, detained at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.