Richmond County Deputy Fired and Arrested For Stealing Confiscated Knife

On September 16, 2024, at approximately 8:51 p.m., Deputy Sean McKenzie of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Richmond County regarding an unknown complaint. Upon arrival, the complainant’s wife informed McKenzie that her husband had been making threats and requested that a weapon be secured for safekeeping. She voluntarily handed over a rifle case containing a rifle and a specialized knife valued at approximately $300, which was confirmed through body-worn camera footage.
On January 7, 2025, the complainant’s husband came to retrieve the items. Upon inspecting the rifle case, he noticed the knife was missing and immediately filed a complaint with Internal Affairs. Due to the seriousness of the complaint, the case was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division (CID).
During the investigation, Deputy McKenzie admitted to taking the knife and securing it at his residence. Following this admission, Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard terminated McKenzie from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 3:00 p.m. on January 14, 2025. Criminal arrest warrants for Theft by Taking and Felony Violation of Oath of Office were issued, and McKenzie was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center for booking.
Sheriff Gino Brantley released a statement, saying: “It is always a sad day for law enforcement when one of our own chooses to break the law. We are committed to transparency and equal enforcement, regardless of whether the individual works for us or any other agency. We extend our apologies to the family involved and hope that our swift action will help restore the trust they placed in us.”
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability in serving the community.