Midlands county councilman charged with domestic violence

A Sumter County Councilman was arrested Thursday after deputies say he threatened to kill his child’s other parent, according to a statement from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Christopher Felonta Sumpter Jr., 26, and his father, Christopher Sumpter, 50, were charged in the Aug. 25 incident on the 3100 block of Spencer Road in Rembert.

The councilman allegedly went to the home and threatened to kill the parent, according to the statement. Their child was there to hear the threats.

Meanwhile, the elder Sumter damaged the parent’s vehicle, according to the statement. The estimated cost of the damage was about $580.

Sumpter, Jr. was charged with domestic violence and his father was charged with malicious injury to property.

The councilman was given a $2,000 bond, and his father was given a $1,000 bond.

The younger Sumpter represents the first district of Sumter County, which encompasses much of the north westerner and western parts of the county and some of the central area.

Sumpter, Jr., was elected to Sumter County Council in Nov. 2016 when he was 24, becoming to youngest person ever to serve in the local government seat, according to Sumter County’s website.

He was born in Borden, SC. He was student body president to University of South Carolina Sumter, later earning a bachelors in criminology and criminal justice from USC in Columbia. He also served as a South Carolina General Assembly Page and went on to work as a Senate office administrator.

Sumpter, Jr. is on the board of Greater Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter. He is owner of Sumpter Farms and Sumpter and Associates.