Suspended GA Sheriff Arrested On New Charges

HIAWASSEE, GA — State authorities have arrested a controversial Georgia sheriff after they say a check from the county sheriff's office's bank account was written to him.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Thursday alleged Towns County Sheriff Ken Henderson, 67, of Young Harris, violated the oath of office in connection with a financial transaction involving one of the Towns County Sheriff's Office's bank accounts. The GBI did not release the amount of the check allegedly written to Henderson.

This comes after the Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office on May 28 asked the GBI to independently investigate the transaction that was discovered during a Towns County yearly audit, authorities said.

Henderson faces charges of theft by deception, false statements and writings, sale of real or personal property to political subdivision by local officer or employee and three counts of violation of oath of office, the GBI said. He was booked into the Towns County Detention Center.

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia appointed the Appalachian Circuit Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office to prosecute both the current case and a previous GBI case against Henderson, authorities said.

RELATED: Kemp Suspends GA Sheriff, Orders New Misconduct Investigation

On Sunday, Gov. Brian Kemp ordered the 60-day suspension of Henderson after a state-appointed investigative committee began looking into new allegations of misconduct.

According to the executive order reviewed by Patch, allegations of misconduct involving Henderson were brought to the governor's attention Friday.

The allegations are separate from both a previous misconduct investigation ordered in September 2025 and criminal charges reviewed under a separate executive order issued in December 2025, Kemp said.

The governor's latest executive order specifically states the new allegations are "separate and distinct" from the conduct underlying Henderson's pending criminal indictment but did not provide further details on the allegations.

Unrelated to the new misconduct investigation, Henderson has been no stranger to controversy after it was widely reported in May that he had been indicted for a second time on seven criminal counts.

These charges stem from a December 2024 confrontation with Hiawassee Police Officer José Carvajal at the scene where a Towns County deputy had been shot, WANF-TV reported in April.

According to prosecutors, Henderson allegedly shoved Carvajal, unlawfully detained and arrested him and violated his oath of office after the officer picked up the wounded deputy's firearm while rendering emergency aid, media reports say.

Investigators claimed Carvajal was attempting to preserve evidence and assist the injured deputy when Henderson accused him of tampering with evidence, media reports say.

Henderson faces three counts of violation of oath by a public officer, two counts of false imprisonment (including one under color of law), one count of simple battery on a police officer and one count of simple battery in connection with the case. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.