FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Former Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone was arrested Monday and taken to the Darlington County jail.

Online booking records show Boone was booked at 7:30 p.m. and charged with criminal domestic violence – 1st degree and violation of probation. Boone appeared to smile in his booking photo.

Officials with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed his arrest to News13. SLED tells us the agency was asked by the Florence County Sheriff’s Office to assist in “dealing with an incident involving former Sheriff Kenney Boone”.

The sheriff’s office told News13 that deputies were on the scene of Boone’s home. No other details are immediately available. News13 was the first to report Boone’s arrest.

Last month, then-suspended Florence County Sheriff Boone pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and embezzlement charges, and was officially removed as Sheriff by Governor Henry McMaster.

At that time, Boone received a jail sentence of five years suspended to one day already served. He also received five years of probation and was forced to pay about $17,000 in restitution, and attend substance abuse counseling.

At that time, while the judge said he considered Boone’s crimes a serious matter, he said he took into account Boone’s history of public service and cooperation with the investigation into account.

Boone said he was sorry for any wrongdoing, and said it felt good to take responsibility.

In November, News13 reported that a grand jury returned additional indictments against Boone for one charge of misconduct in office and three counts of campaign ethics violations. This was in addition to the one count of misconduct in office and two counts of embezzlement Boone was charged with in May.

Florence Sheriff Kenney Boone
Kenney Boone spoke during a news conference while he was the Florence County Sheriff (February 28, 2019)

In May, we reported that Boone would be removed from state Criminal Justice Academy documentation as head of the sheriff’s office.

In April, Boone was given a $50,000 bail and placed on house arrest during a bond hearing. Boone’s house arrested was lifted in early May. A grand jury had indicted Boone in April on charges of embezzlement and misconduct. The indictment alleged Boone used both county and federal funds allocated to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office for his own personal use.

Boone has also made headlines in recent years for other incidents.

In February 2019, News13 obtained a scathing e-mail sent by Boone to members of Florence County Council, accusing members of ‘underhanded tactics’, ‘wasteful spending’, and negligence.

In August 2018, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office reviewed dramatic voicemails sent by Boone to the finance director of Florence County.

“Kevin, this is Kenney Boone. You call me back immediately. If I don’t get a phone call back, I’m gonna send a deputy around your house or wherever you are to find you’re a- – . Call me now!”

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said after reviewing the voicemails, the office did not meet the requirements for criminal charges.

“They may have been unprofessional and rude, but that’s different from being able to prove in court, beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed,” Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Robert Kittle told News13 previously. “It came close, and we were certainly concerned, and we left the channels of communication open if anything happens in the future, but we decided that it was not a crime.”

The voicemails were left after the finance director questioned several travel forms Boone turned in for a Myrtle Beach conference because Boone requested two hotel rooms for himself and another room for then-former (now current) Sheriff Billy Barnes.

Boone, a Republican, was first elected as Florence County Sheriff in 2004, taking office in early 2005. He was re-elected in 2008, 2012 and 2016.

Count on News13 at wbtw.com for updates as we continue to follow new developments surrounding Boone.

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