Johnathan Allen
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Deputy Johnathan Allen was arrested and placed on administrative leave after an investigation resulted in charges related to child pornography.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office received information from South Carolina law enforcement on Wednesday and began assisting with a criminal investigation. A search warrant was executed early Thursday morning by detectives and Allen was arrested and booked into the Hamilton County Jail in relation to warrants out of South Carolina pending extradition.
Allen is being charged with the following in South Carolina: three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of criminal solicitation of a minor.
“I am furious over the alleged actions of Allen and the disgusting nature of these charges. I have immediately placed him on administrative leave pending a pre-disciplinary hearing that will be held in the immediate future per Civil Service rules. In addition to the ongoing criminal investigation, an HCSO Internal Affairs investigation has also been initiated. The HCSO holds our personnel to the highest of standards and this type of alleged behavior will not be tolerated,” said Sheriff Austin Garrett.
Allen began service at the HCSO as a corrections deputy in September 2021. He graduated from a basic law enforcement academy on Nov. 1 of this year, and at the time of his arrest, he was in the formalized Field Training Program. As per Civil Service rules, he has been placed on leave with pay for 14 days, after which he will be immediately placed on leave without pay and a disciplinary hearing will be held, officials said.
Any inquiries into the initial investigation by South Carolina law enforcement authorities should be directed to the York County Sheriff’s Office.