SC councilman lied to buy a gun while charged in child sex crimes, ATF says

Suspended Bamberg County Councilman Kerry Trent Kinard wanted a gun and lied to try to get it, according to authorities. Now, he’s charged by federal agents, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms charged Kinard with making false statements while attempting to buy a handgun.

Before the latest charge, state police charged Kinard with seven felony offenses related to alleged sex crimes against children. He’s also under a restraining order that requires him to stay away from his wife, according to federal authorities.

With the charges and restraining order against him, Kinard is not allowed to buy a gun. But ATF agents said that on Dec. 3, Kinard, who was out of jail on bond, went to a Columbia gun store and attempted to buy a pistol.

While filling out paperwork to purchase the gun, Kinard wrote that he was not under a felony indictment or a restraining order.

The paperwork was filed by the shop with the ATF and was flagged by an agent. The agent investigated and discovered that Kinard’s statements were untrue concerning his felony indictments and a restraining order, prosecutors said.

Kinard could be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison if he’s found guilty of the making false statements.

In September, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Kinard with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, attempted criminal sexual contact with a minor, two counts of criminal solicitation of a minor, first-degree assault and battery and two counts of dissemination of obscene material.

The charges stem from incidents between 2008 and September 2020, SLED said.

Kinard spent a month in jail before a state judge released him on $75,000 bond, records show. The judge also ordered that Kinard wear a tracking device, not go back into Bamberg County except for court and to have no contact with the victims.

In October 2020, Kinard’s spouse requested a restraining order against him, according to an ATF affidavit. A South Carolina judge put the order in place to stop Kinard “from committing further acts of abuse or threats of abuse” against his spouse, the affidavit said.

In November, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Kinard from office.

If convicted of the first-degree criminal sexual conduct offense, Kinard could be sentenced to state prison for life.

If he avoids life imprisonment, a sentence for the false statement charge would be served in a federal prison after the state lockup.

This is breaking news. Check back for an update.

This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 5:09 PM.

David Travis Bland

The State

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David Travis Bland is The State’s editorial editor. In his prior position as a reporter, he was named the 2020 South Carolina Journalist of the Year by the SC Press Association. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2010. Support my work with a digital subscription