A former sheriff from Colleton County, Robert Anderson Strickland Jr., was arrested on February 15 in Bamberg County, S.C., facing a second-degree domestic violence charge. The arrest stems from an alleged altercation in which Strickland is accused of slapping someone in the face and pulling their hair during an argument. According to the Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Strickland also prevented the victim from calling law enforcement by allegedly slapping the phone out of their hand and refusing to return it.
This incident adds to Strickland’s troubled history. In 2019, he was suspended from his post as Colleton County Sheriff by Governor Henry McMaster after another domestic violence incident. Strickland was also indicted on charges including giving alcohol to someone under 21 and using his authority to continue an inappropriate relationship with an employee in early 2020.
In connection to these charges, Judge R. Markely Dennis, Jr. sentenced Strickland to five years of probation, to be served concurrently with a separate charge. The judge also imposed 200 hours of public service, random drug and alcohol testing, and a suspension of jail time based on credit for time already served. Strickland resigned from his sheriff position and permanently gave up his law enforcement credentials following the convictions.
