The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has just released the two warrants it obtained in connection with the (latest) arrest of former Florence county, S.C. sheriff Kenney Boone – news of which was exclusively reported on Monday evening by this news outlet.
As our report predicted, Boone was charged with one count of domestic violence and one count of cruelty to animals following an incident that took place at his home in suburban Florence, S.C. yesterday evening (Monday, February 3, 2020).
According to the arrest warrant for second degree domestic violence, Boone “while brandishing a baseball bat … offered to cause physical harm or injury to his wife in the presence of or while being perceived by a minor child.”
According to the arrest warrant for “ill treatment of animals,” Boone “while in the presence of his wife … hit a cat with a baseball bat inflicting unnecessary pain or suffering upon the animal.”
Here are the documents …
(Click to view)
(Via: SLED)
To read our full report on last night’s incident, click here.
Boone’s case will be investigated by SLED. Once that investigation is complete, a decision on whether to prosecute him will be made by the office of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson.
As we noted, Boone’s arrest on these charges comes less than a month after the 53-year-old law man resigned his office after pleading guilty to one count of felony embezzlement and one count of common law misconduct in office in connection with a lengthy public corruption investigation.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Boone has been struggling again with alcohol – an addiction which presaged nearly all of his recent issues (including recurring problems with his health).
It is not immediately clear, however, whether alcohol played a role in the incident that took place Monday evening.
A Republican, Boone was first elected sheriff of Florence in 2004. He was reelected in 2008, 2012 and 2016, and prior to his guilty plea was seeking a fifth-term in 2020.
His fall from grace has been dramatic. In August 2018, this news outlet reported exclusively on threats made by Boone against county finance director Kevin Yokim. In December of that year, we exclusively reported that Boone was facing scrutiny at the county level related to the alleged misuse of certain drug seizure funds.
Boone was indicted by Wilson’s office last April on multiple misconduct in office and embezzlement charges – and further indicted last November on campaign finance charges. By statute, Boone was suspended from office upon his initial indictment last April.
At this point, all we can say is that we hope Boone gets the help he needs …
-FITSNews
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