Henry Ervil Swinney, brother of Clemson football coach Dabo Sinney, was arrested and charged with physical exploitation of a minor.
William Christopher “Dabo” Swinney,” 54, is an American college football coach who is the head coach at Clemson University.
Highlights
- Henry Ervil Swinney has been sentenced to four years after pleading guilty in a sexual exploitation case.
- Earlier, Henry was arrested in 2016 and charged with aggravated stalking.
- Henry’s arrest was made when investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Swinney joined the Alabama Crimson Tide as a walk-on wide receiver in 1989. He earned a scholarship and lettered on three teams, including the Crimson Tide’s 1992 National Championship team.
As an undergraduate at Alabama, Swinney was named an Academic All-SEC and SEC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll member twice. In three seasons at Alabama, he caught seven passes for 81 years.
He took over as head coach of the Clemson Tigers seven games into the 2008 season following Tommy Bowden’s resignation.
Dabo’s team won national championships in 2016 and 2018, and his 2018 Clemson Tigers have often been considered among the greatest college football teams ever.
Swinney is the winningest head coach in Clemson and ACC football history.
Dabo Swinney’s Brother Henry Swinney Pleaded Guilty To Sexual Exploitation
Henry Ervil Swinney III, 55, born in 1969, was caught by police officials in 2022 for sexual exploitation of a minor in Pickens County.
The arrest was made on April 23, 2022, after the attorney general said in a statement that investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led them to Mr. Swinney.
According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Henry distributed child sexual abuse material.
Henry made a court appearance on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, and was sentenced to four years and was given credit for 15 days of time served.
As part of the plea, Henry was prohibited from contacting the victim or their family, including commenting on their social media posts.
Robert Kittle said,
Swinney also consented to the forfeiture of the devices that contained child physical abuse material and will have to register as a Tier II sex offender upon his release.
Henry was also arrested in Florida in January 2016 and charged with aggravated stalking, according to online court records in Bay City, Florida.
Zack McDonald, citing the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, reported that Henry’s estranged wife claimed she continued to receive messages from him despite filing a civil injunction against domestic violence.
The Panama City News Herald report noted that the Bay County Sheriff’s Office stated the situation in October when his wife told him she was planning to file for divorce.
Henry allegedly continued to contact her, which caused substantial emotional distress. He had his first court appearance and was held on a $15,000 bond.
While the situation played out, Dabo was trying to prepare for the national championship game against Alabama.
Dabo said he loves his brother but admitted a long history of not doing the right things. He added,
“I think the only sad thing is, it’s a story because he’s my brother. You know, if I was Joe Schmoe then you’re not asking me that question.”
Dabo Swinney
Additional Information
- An American college football coach and former player, Dabo Swinney has an estimated net worth of $30 million as of 2024.
- Henry and Dabo were born to their father, Ervil Swinney, and their mother, Carol McIntosh.
- Dabo Swinney married Kathleen Bassett in 1994. They had three sons, Drew, Clay, and Will Swinney.
