Saluda sheriff is indicted for misusing inmate labor

Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth resigned his office Thursday after being indicted by the State Grand Jury on charges he used a state prison inmate for five years to work on his private property.

The public-corruption indictment says that Booth, a former Lexington County deputy, committed misconduct in office by using the inmate from 2006 to 2011.

The indictment against Booth, who was first elected in 2000, gives few other details. The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Gov. Nikki Haley, who called the matter an “unfortunate situation,” is expected to name an interim sheriff today.

State Sheriffs’ Association executive director Jeff Moore said he had talked to Booth last winter about a SLED investigation into the use of an inmate.

“But it didn’t sound that serious,” Moore said. “This surprised all of us.”

Booth’s father, George Booth, was Saluda County sheriff during the 1980s, and left to join the State Law Enforcement Division. He is now retired.

“His dad was so proud of him,” Moore said. “This is a shame for Jason, for the county and for his family.”

Moore said Jason Booth called him Thursday morning to tell him he had been indicted and was going to resign. “He apologized to me, and he apologized to the association.”

Moore said he had heard that Booth had used an inmate but had paid the inmate for his work. Moore said he knew no other details.

Booth’s lawyer, Johnny Gasser, Thursday declined comment on the allegations except to say the time frame mentioned in the indictment was overly broad.

Gasser urged the public to keep in mind that over the years, Booth has been a “highly decorated law enforcement officer. ... Jason’s fellow sheriffs recently elected him president of the S.C. Sheriffs’ Association. He was due to take office July 1.”

Gasser said Booth, like other defendants charged with similar white-collar crimes, has not been jailed. Next week, Booth will be arraigned and bond formally set, Gasser said.

Gasser, a former state and federal prosecutor, specializes in white-collar crime and high-profile defendants. Earlier this year, Gasser was a member of the legal team that persuaded a judge not to give a prison sentence to former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard, who pleaded guilty to various ethics and campaign crimes.

It’s likely that Gasser will try to keep Booth from spending any time in prison as well.

Saluda County residents were taken aback by the indictment, said County Council chairman Don Hancock, although Booth wasn’t running for re-election in November.

“Quite honestly, I was a little surprised,” Hancock said.

Hancock said he and other county council members hope Chief Deputy Robbie Freeman, who is not running for the sheriff’s post, will be appointed interim sheriff.

“He’s a good, good man and we’ve got confidence in his abilities,” Hancock said.

In his resignation letter to Haley, Booth also recommended that the governor appoint Freeman.

“Chief Deputy Freeman just completed 11 weeks of intensive leadership and law enforcement training at the FBI Academy and has been employed with the Saluda County Sheriff’s Office for 15 years,” wrote Booth on sheriff’s office stationery. “His leadership will provide a smooth transition for the department and prevent any disruption of services.”

Whether Haley will take the recommendation of an accused lawbreaker is unknown. Her spokesman, Rob Godfrey, gave no hint whom she might appoint.

Saluda County Council controls the sheriff’s budget but not its daily operations. The sheriff also controls the jail. Hancock said he was unsure whether Booth’s indictment would lead council to seek to take over the jail.

Booth was a Democrat when he was first elected. He joined the Republican Party in 2004.

Shortly after being elected sheriff, he made news when he accidentally shot himself in the lower left leg when he took a .380-caliber semi-automatic from his pocket. At 27, he was one of the youngest people ever elected sheriff in the state.

Booth was chosen S.C. Sheriff of the Year for 2007, an annual award sponsored by the Sheriffs’ Association.

But Booth also made controversial decisions while in office, sometimes creating tension with the county’s large Hispanic population. In 2007, Booth drew fire from the Hispanic community after establishing checkpoints on major highways outside a popular horse track. Critics accused Booth of using the checkpoints to intimidate the Mexican horse-racing fans who traveled from across the state to watch the races.

The State Grand Jury, with offices in Columbia, has jurisdiction in public-corruption matters. The State Law Enforcement Division investigated the case under the direction of SLED Chief Mark Keel and 2nd Circuit Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr. Thurmond will handle prosecution of the case.

Moore said he was saddened by the indictment.

“I thought Jason was a nice guy; he worked hard; he was a good sheriff. Obviously, he may have made some decisions that were not the correct decisions.”

This story was originally published June 14, 2012 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Saluda sheriff is indicted for misusing inmate labor."