SC town administrator, ex-police chief accused of illegally tracking town council members

GREAT FALLS, S.C. (WIS) - Two high-ranking officials in one South Carolina town are facing charges after allegedly spying on town council members.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Friday that 44-year-old Joshua Ray Glenn and 41-year-old Kimberly Deane Benenhaley are each charged with misconduct in office, criminal conspiracy and three counts each of first-degree harassment.

Glenn is the town administrator in Great Falls, while Benenhaley served as police chief until earlier this year.

According to warrants released by SLED, Glenn and Benenhaley worked together earlier this year to place “unauthorized tracking devices” on the personal vehicles of three town council members in May.

Glenn and Benenhaley then reportedly used Tracki, a paid monitoring service, to track the vehicles. The warrants also state that the app was paid for using a Town of Great Falls credit card, which was issued to Glenn.

The three town council members also reportedly told SLED that they “received text messages of screenshotted maps” from Glenn, showing the location of their vehicle. Data obtained by SLED through Tracki corroborated that information, per warrants.

Two of the devices were found in October, while another was found more recently on Dec. 11.

The warrants also state Glenn and Benenhaley both admitted to tracking council members’ movements.

Records show Glenn and Benenhaley are both booked at the Chester County Detention Center, where they are still being held as of Friday.

Benenhaley was granted a $32,500 bond and is prohibited from contacting the victims and their families. She is also required to make all court appearances and get permission to leave the state.

Glenn, meanwhile, was granted a $50,000 bond and is subject to the same conditions as Benenhaley. He is also required to wear an ankle monitor.

The Town of Great Falls has also called a special town council meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday. The agenda states there is an executive session scheduled “to receive legal advice regarding administrative personnel.”

This is a developing story. Stay with WIS for the latest.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.