SBI investigating Cary town manager for financial misuse

The State Bureau of Investigation confirms the agency is now investigating former Cary town manager Sean Stegall.
Posted 1/13/2026, 5:23:00 PM Updated 1/13/2026, 11:14:50 PM

COUNTY BACK IN 2022. ATTORNEYS

SAY THAT ONCE THIS TRIAL

STARTS, IT SHOULD LAST ABOUT

2 WEEKS. BRIAN, THANK YOU.

NEW TODAY, THE CRIMINAL

INVESTIGATION INTO KERRY'S

FORMER TOWN MANAGER, THE STATE

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION IS

LOOKING INTO SEAN STEAGLE

SPENDING LINKED TO HIS CREDIT

CARD TRANSACTIONS.

>> THOSE INCLUDE PURCHASES TO

THINGS LIKE AMAZON, APPLE,

LARGE HOTEL EXPENSES AND

RESTAURANTS WRAL'S CARLY HAYNES

IS LIVE IN CARY AFTER SPEAKING

WITH THE WAKE COUNTY DISTRICT

ATTORNEY AND CARLY. YOU LOOK

THROUGH DOZENS OF DOCUMENTS

TODAY LISTING SOME OF THOSE

TRANSACTIONS.

>> AND DOWN, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL

FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO

GET A TOWN CREDIT CARD. IT'S

KNOWN AS A P CARD. SO WHAT THE

SBI WILL BE INVESTIGATING IS

WHAT SEAN STEAGLE USE HIS PEAK

ARE FOR.

>> KERRY TOWN HALL NOW A FOCUS

OF STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IT'S TIME TO OPEN AN SBI

INVESTIGATION. BRING IN THE

LIGHT OF DAY. LET'S SEE WHAT

WE'RE DEALING WITH. WAKE COUNTY

DISTRICT ATTORNEY LORRIN

FREEMAN REQUESTED HELP FROM

THE SBI IS FINANCIAL CRIMES

UNIT TUESDAY. THEY'LL SEE OF

SPENDING BY KERRY'S FORMER TOWN

MANAGER GOES BEYOND

MISMANAGEMENT. WHAT QUICKLY

TO HAPPEN FOR YOU TO ISSUE

CRIMINAL CHARGES. YEAH. SO WHAT

OBVIOUSLY OUR STANDARD IS IN

ANY CASE, IT IS GOING TO BE

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT AND

OFTEN WHAT WE SEE IS PEOPLE.

>> YEAH. PURCHASING TRIPS.

PURCHASING YES. THINGS FOR

THEIR OWN HOMES. WE'RE SPENDING

MONEY FOR THEIR PERSONAL

BENEFIT. THERE REALLY DOESN'T

HAVE ANY LEGITIMATE BUSINESS

PURPOSE. PUBLIC RECORDS SHOW US

JUST SOME OF HIS TRANSACTIONS.

>> IN 2021, 100'S OF DOLLARS

WORTH OF AMAZON PURCHASES IN

ONE AMAZON TRANSACTION IN 2022.

ROUGHLY MORE THAN $80 ON

KITCHEN TOWELS SENT TO HIS HOME

THAT SAME YEAR HE SPENT NEARLY

$1000 ON FURNITURE AND HOME

DECOR. IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER

THESE WERE FOR PERSONAL USE OR

FOR BUSINESS. THIS IS VERY MUCH

THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT GOING

THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS A

MATTER OF.

>> DOZENS AND DOZENS OF

TRANSACTIONS OVER PERIODS OF

TIME. EVERY ONE OF THESE

PURCHASES WILL NOW BE UNDER

A MICROSCOPE.

>> AND THAT AS THE I

INVESTIGATION WILL TAKE PLACE

OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS,

THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS

ALSO CONTINUING ITS REVIEW