S.C. Police Charge Fire Chief With Misconduct

July 27--DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Former Darlington Fire Chief Jim Stone -- a 50-year veteran of service to the city -- was arrested on one charge of misconduct in office and booked through the Darlington County Detention Center on Friday morning.

Stone, 71, 410 Spring St., Darlington, was the subject of an investigation by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) into the misuse of inmates, Darlington City Manager Howard Garland said in an earlier interview.

SLED conducted the investigation at the request of the Darlington Police Department, according to a SLED release.

A warrant released Friday morning by SLED accuses Stone of using inmate labor to wash his personal vehicles, clean oysters and clean around his home and creek house between January 2009 and June 30, 2012.

"Chief James C. Stone Jr. during the investigation admitted to an agent of SLED that he did use inmate for personal gain," according to the arrest warrant.

"It's an ongoing investigation with the State Law Enforcement Division. At this point we don't have a comment," Sgt. Kim Nelson, Darlington Police Department, said.

Stone has been the City of Darlington's Fire Chief since 1984 and has been with the department for more than 50 years.

Former Darlington Mayor Ronnie Ward appointed Stone fire chief upon the retirement of then-chief Leon Beckham. Stone was assistant chief at the time.

"Jim Stone was steadfastly dedicated to the Darlington Fire Department," Ward said Friday morning. "He was one of the best fire chiefs Darlington has ever had. He made sure everything in the department was up to date. He ensured that his firemen were well trained.

"I feel he did an outstanding job. The city was better off having him as fire chief. If he did anything wrong I'm sure it was not intentional," Ward said.

His July 3 retirement announcement came as a surprise to many of those who have worked alongside Stone for many years.

"I think he's an honorable man and I'm glad to have had him work with us all of these years in the fire department," Garland said.

"I think I speak with a lot of folks who have worked with him over the years, who would echo those sentiments," he continued.

Garland said Stone has made quite an impact on the community and the fire department and said that the city had to investigate the allegations that were made against Stone, despite his exemplary record.

Stone said his decision to retire was not based on the investigation, but rather hastened by it and said that he had originally planned to mark his end with the fire department in November.

The case will be prosecuted by the Fourth Circuit Solicitor's Office (Darlington, Marlboro, Chesterfield and Dillon counties), according to SLED's release.

Copyright 2012 - The Messenger, Hartsville, S.C.