Florence County, South Carolina sheriff Kenney Boone left at least two threatening voicemails with a county administrator who reportedly questioned his use of taxpayer funds.
According to a pair of voicemail messages obtained exclusively by this news outlet, Boone told Florence County director of finance Kevin Yokim that he was sending a deputy to retrieve his “ass” if he failed to return his phone call. He also threatened Yokim with physical violence – as well as professional “payback.”
As this news outlet exclusively reported a month ago, the voicemail messages left on Yokim’s phone were turned over to the office of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson – which has yet to make a determination as to how it intends to handle the matter.
“We do have the tapes and are reviewing them,” Wilson spokesman Robert Kittle told us last month.
In the first message to obtained by this news outlet, Boone yelled at Yokim – insisting the finance director call him back “immediately.”
“If I don’t get a call back I’m gonna send a deputy around your house or wherever you are to find your ass,” Bonne yelled. “Call me now!”
Take a listen …
(Click to listen)
(Via: Provided)
In the second message, Boone accused Yokim of “putting your nose in other people’s business.”
“Now all of a sudden you want to question things that I do?” Boone yelled. “You little nerdy, uh, intelligent bastard.”
Boone then threatened Yokim – personally and professionally.
“I tell you what, you come to me (unintelligible) cause I’m gonna beat the -” Boone thundered. “Hell’s coming with me. If I was in Florence I would meet you personally.”
Boone (below) then warned Yokim “you ain’t seen hell yet.”
(Click to view)
(Via: YouTube)
“Payback’s gone be hell I promise ya,” Boone concluded, threatening to “take IT away from all y’all.”
The “IT” remark appears to be a reference to the county’s information technology services, which are mixed up with the sheriff’s office.
Here is the second voicemail recording …
(Click to listen)
(Via: Provided)
Drama, right? Indeed. It’s just too bad these heated exchanges occurred prior to Boone’s agency making its appearance on Live PD.
Because this would be a reality television gold mine …
In South Carolina, it is illegal to “use in a telephonic communication or any other electronic means any words or language of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious or indecent nature, or threaten any unlawful act with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass another person, or convey by telephone or other electronic means an obscene, vulgar, indecent, profane, suggestive, or immoral message to another person.”
This law – which we’re guessing is regularly violated across the state – could land convicted offenders in jail for up to thirty days.
Also, Yokim is a public official – which means Boone could conceivably face the same charge he is currently seeking against the ex-husband of his new wife, Anna Hovey Boone (below).
(Click to view)
(Via: Provided)
Six weeks ago, Anna Boone Hovey’s ex-husband – Alex Curlington – allegedly threatened to kill the sheriff during a verbal altercation that allegedly took place outside her home. As we noted in our coverage of that incident, threatening the life, person or family of a public official is a felony in South Carolina, and those convicted of it face up to five years in prison.
Sources close to Curlington have disputed Boone’s version of events, however.
What really happened?
Agents of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) were called to investigate the allegations, but the agency bowed out upon learning that detectives with Richland County sheriff’s department were already on the case. Adding further jurisdictional intrigue, we are told any charges related to the ongoing investigation would be handled by S.C. seventh circuit solicitor Barry Barnette, whose office is based in Spartanburg, S.C.
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[/timed-content-server]Boone, 52, has been sheriff of Florence County since 2004. He is currently working to regain the trust of the community following a recent stint in a North Carolina rehabilitation facility where he was treated for an alcohol addiction (news of which broke exclusively on FITSNews.com).
Despite his issues, he has said he plans to seek a fifth term as sheriff in 2020.
Our guess is these threatening messages – released just days after Boone was baptized – won’t help that effort.
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