SC deputy charged with threatening to kill girlfriend and her family, SLED says

A Barnwell County deputy, who harmed his pregnant girlfriend and threatened to kill her and her family, was charged with domestic violence, according to state agents.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agents charged Ian Seaborne Warren with second degree domestic violence Saturday.

Warren is a deputy with the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office, who has worked for the office since 2018. While SLED labeled him a “former deputy” in a statement, Warren’s police record says he is still employed as of Tuesday.

After his arrest, agents booked him at the Barnwell County Detention Center. A judge let him out on $5,000 bond and order him to not contact the victim or her family, not to drive near her residence and not to possess any guns, court records showed.

Warren abused his girlfriend from March 2020 to July 2021, according to agents. In one incident, while his girlfriend was pregnant, he pulled her off a bed by the legs, making her hit the floor then took her cell phone.

Abusers often take victims’ cells phones to prevent them from calling police, domestic violence survivor advocates say.

While they lived together, Warren told his girlfriend multiple times that he would kill her, an agent wrote in an arrest warrant. She feared “imminent peril.” He “ has repeatedly pulled, pushed and shoved” his girlfriend during arguments.

“The victim and her family are in fear for their safety,” the agent wrote.

Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office requested SLED investigate Warren. Warren’s attorney was not yet publicly listed for The State to try to contact.

Warren is the 13th South Carolina officer charged with domestic violence or another form violence against a woman this year.

In April, The State reported on the disturbing amount of SC police officers who were charged from 2010 to 2020 with violence against women. Most of those charges were domestic violence. On average, nine police officers a year are accused of violence against women in SC. Survivor advocates said that number was likely too low and didn’t given an accurate picture of the amount of violence because victims don’t always report abuse, fearing further harm.

Domestic violence, depending on the nature of the offense, is punishable with 90 days to 20 years imprisonment.