District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Greenville Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Making Fraudulent Statements to MedicaidRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nina Bourret, 41, of Greenville, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to making fraudulent statements to Medicaid in connection with the delivery of autism spectrum disorder services.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bourret was an owner of Agapi Behavior Consultants, Inc. (“Agapi), which was a business that provided Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to treat Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). From Feb. 2021 to Dec. 2022, Bourret submitted electronic claims to Medicaid on behalf of Agapi that falsely and fraudulently certified that services had been rendered and/or certified that services had been rendered in excess of what was actually provided to the beneficiary. The investigation revealed Bourret and Agapi submitted claims to Medicaid that contained false and fraudulent statements in the amount of $984,239.30.
Senior United States District Judge Henry Michael Herlong, Jr. sentenced Bourret to 12 months and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bourret was also ordered to pay $1,760,547.94 in restitution. The restitution ordered represents the amount of fraudulent claims Bourret submitted to Medicaid while operating Agapi and an additional $776,308.64, which represents fraudulent claims Bourret submitted to Medicaid between May 2022 and May 2023 through a company called Navis Pad.
“When the programs that are intended to help those in most need of medical care are exploited, it takes away valuable resources from our neighbors,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat healthcare fraud in all its forms.”
“The defendant’s actions compromised the integrity of our healthcare systems,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The message is clear; the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in delivering justice for victims and bringing accountability to those who take advantage of our country’s healthcare programs.”
"Individuals who submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid undermine a valuable health care program intended to care for some of the most vulnerable populations in our communities,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those alleged of defrauding federal health care programs are held accountable.”
“The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office condemns businesses that defraud the government to line their own pockets at the expense of South Carolina’s less fortunate and vulnerable individuals,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “This is not a victimless crime, and we will continue to investigate these matters to combat provider fraud that ultimately affects everyone in South Carolina.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower prosecuted the case.
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Texas Man on Supervised Release Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Bank Robbery in IrmoRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Deveon Nathaniel Gibbs, 29, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to committing armed bank robbery. He was sentenced to an additional term of 24 months in federal prison for violations of his supervised release.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Gibbs, who was on supervised release for a prior federal bank robbery conviction in Texas, along with a coconspirator, pepper sprayed ATM technicians as they serviced an ATM at First Citizens Bank at 949 Lake Murray Blvd. in Irmo on Aug. 19, 2022. Witnesses provided statements that they believed Gibbs was armed at the time of the robbery. Additional evidence showed that Gibbs and his coconspirator fled to a nearby apartment complex where they entered a vehicle and ultimately drove to Texas.
Gibbs and his coconspirator stole over $77,000 before fleeing the scene. Law enforcement was able to recover approximately $55,000 along Gibbs’ flight path and clothing that contained Gibbs’ DNA.
Gibbs was detained without bond and pleaded guilty to the single-count indictment. United States District Judge Cameron Currie sentenced Gibbs to 92 months in federal prison to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision for the Aug. 2022 armed bank robbery. Gibbs was also sentenced to an additional 24 months of imprisonment to run consecutively for his violations of the terms of his supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gibbs’ criminal history includes prior state convictions for theft and burglary, as well as a prior federal conviction for bank robbery.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Irmo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.
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Police Detective and Former School Resource Officer Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Material ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an 18-count indictment against Daniel Paul Shealy, 35, of Rock Hill, charging distribution of child sexual abuse materials (12 counts) and receipt of child sexual abuse materials (6 counts).
The indictment alleges that Shealy was a certified law enforcement officer in the state of South Carolina, and that during that time he held the rank of Detective in a police department’s Criminal Investigative Division and that he served as a School Resource Officer assigned to a local public school. The indictment also alleges that Shealy created and operated an account on a social media platform and that he used a cellular device recovered from his department-issued patrol car, both to distribute and receive child sex abuse materials. The indictment alleges Shealy distributed 13 child sex abuse videos and that he received six child sex abuse videos, all between June 2 and Sept. 17, 2023, and that the videos were between five seconds in length and one minute and 43 seconds in length.
Each count charged carries a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Shealy also faces up to lifetime federal supervision following any other penalty, registration as a sex offender, and monetary penalties.
Shealy waived his right to a bond and was ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges. He has the right to ask for a bond at a later time.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Former Police Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Douglas Perdick, 47, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child sex abuse materials.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on Nov. 23, 2020, an FBI online covert employee accessed a group on a mobile application while working in an undercover capacity and observed a link which had been posted by another user. The FBI employee accessed the link, which ultimately led to a folder containing multiple videos of child sex abuse materials. During the investigation, FBI discovered that the user was Perdick, who was a former police officer. FBI obtained the IP address used by Perdick to share the link to the child sex abuse materials and linked the IP address to his residence in Conway, South Carolina. FBI executed a search warrant at Perdick’s residence, and during execution of the search warrant, Perdick admitted to sharing child sex abuse materials from his phone multiple times.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Perdick to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Perdick was court-ordered to pay $9,000.00 in restitution to the victims.
“The production and distribution of child sex abuse materials is egregious child exploitation,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will prosecute those who put our children at risk.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Fentanyl Poisoning DeathRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cody Allen Dinkins, 32, of Columbia, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing a quantity of fentanyl resulting in death.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on Aug. 31, 2019, the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office responded to an apparent overdose at a residence in Kershaw County. Responders located the victim, who died at the home. A pathologist later determined the victim’s death was caused by fentanyl poisoning.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the incident, and during the investigation, law enforcement uncovered messages which appeared to be a conservation between the victim and Dinkins regarding Dinkins providing the victim with illegal drugs on Aug. 30, 2019. Later, Dinkins confessed to supplying the victim with illegal drugs on Aug. 30, 2019.
“The fentanyl epidemic is a deadly crisis that continues to plague our nation. Our office is committed to holding accountable drug traffickers who endanger our communities,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We are grateful to DEA and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office for their continued efforts to protect our communities from the threat posed by drug traffickers.”
“Fentanyl is extremely dangerous to the consumer and leaves behind a trail of devastation and destruction,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The defendant in this case had total disregard for the safety of others.”
“We are thankful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan. “Without their federal prosecution of this case, proper justice could not have taken place through our state court system.”
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Dinkins to 240 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Dinkins was court-ordered to pay $9,117.40 in restitution to the victim’s estate.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Wedgefield Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Martez Mandel Coleman, 44, of Wedgefield, was sentenced to a total of 12 years in federal prison yesterday. The sentence consists of 120 months for charges of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of marijuana stemming from an incident in Oct. 2022. Coleman also had 24 months revoked on his supervised release stemming from a 2001 federal murder conviction.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of Oct. 10, 2022, a deputy with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a Mercedes after observing a traffic violation. When the deputy approached the vehicle, he smelled marijuana and observed a baggy of what he believed to be illegal narcotics on the center console. Coleman, the sole occupant of the vehicle, admitted to having marijuana and a firearm in the vehicle. Deputies recovered a loaded 9mm handgun and several baggies of fentanyl and marijuana inside the vehicle. A drug analysis later showed that it was approximately 126 grams of fentanyl and approximately 47 grams of marijuana in the baggies. The investigation revealed the firearm as having been previously reported as stolen in Florence.
Coleman is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his 2001 federal convictions for murder in relation to felony drug offense, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and five kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute/distribution of crack cocaine, using/carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking crime, and causing death of a person through use of firearm. After being convicted following a jury trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Later Coleman filed a motion for a reduced sentence pursuant to the First Step Act of 2018. The court reduced his sentence in 2020 to 300 months imprisonment with five years of supervised release. Coleman was released from federal prison in 2021 and was on federal supervised release at the time of the Oct. 2022 incident. Therefore, in addition to the new charges, Coleman faced a revocation of that federal supervised release.
Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. imposed both the sentence and revocation. The Court ran 12 months of the 24-month revocation concurrent to the 120 months sentence and the other 12 months consecutive to that 120-month sentence. Upon completing the total terms of imprisonment, Coleman will be on supervised release for eight years.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case, as well as Coleman’s earlier 2001 case.
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Chester County Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Illegally Possessing Guns and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Jonathan Neely, 34, of Fort Lawn, South Carolina has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 3, the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, United States Probation Office, and the United States Marshals Service obtained an arrest warrant for Neely for violation of his federal supervised release and a state search warrant for his residence, located in Ft Lawn. Neely was on federal supervised release based upon convictions for knowingly possession of an unregistered firearm, knowingly possession of an unregistered firearm silencer, knowingly possession of an unregistered firearm silencer without a serial number and possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. These convictions arose out of a federal conviction in Asheville, North Carolina in 2018.
A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of multiple rounds of ammunition, a Ruger pistol and a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine. Law enforcement then went to another residence in Fort Lawn where investigators noted a white colored trailer on the property. This was the same trailer that was reported to have been used by Neely to hide his firearms and that he had recently hidden on this property.
The police spoke to the property owner who stated that the trailer belonged to Neely, that he had dropped it off on the property, and that only Neely had access to it. The property owner stated that they did not have keys to the trailer or know what was inside of it. The police obtained a search warrant for the trailer.
During the search of the trailer, investigators recovered a large amount of ammunition and the following firearms:
• Rossi .22 caliber revolver;
• Makarov 9mm pistol;
• Palmetto State Armory AR-15 style rifle;
• New England Arms 20-gauge shotgun;
• Ruger pistol;
• Stevens Arms .20-gauge shotgun;
On March 14, the Marshals Service located Neely and placed him under arrest. Following his arrest, Neely acknowledged that he owned the firearms in the trailer and that he was aware that his felony convictions had prohibited him from possessing them.
Neely faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Neely after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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South Carolina Return Preparer Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison for preparing and filing false individual income tax returns for himself and his clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jeffrey Harmon of Lexington, owned and operated TFL Worldwide, a tax preparation business through which he willfully prepared and filed returns for himself and clients that claimed fraudulent deductions to which he and his clients were not entitled. To reduce his and his clients’ tax liability, Harmon consistently deducted non-deductible personal expenses, including, among other things, rent and mortgage payments for personal residences, personal vacation travel, personal fitness equipment and golf, country and hunt club membership fees. In total, Harmon caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $300,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Harmon was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $320,000 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina, and Special Agent in Charge Donald Trey Eakins of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kentrell Thompson, 34, of Columbia, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on July 26, 2020, shortly after 4:00 a.m., City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert of 10 shots fired at an apartment complex in Columbia. CPD received information that three men were possibly involved in the incident and that they had walked into one of the apartments. CPD officers went to the apartment and spoke with Thompson, who denied any involvement in the shooting incident. Further investigation led officers to discover a video of the shooting incident that had been recorded by a nearby city camera. Thompson was identified in the video firing a large revolver several times in the air. The revolver was later found in the apartment where Thompson first spoke with CPD officers. The revolver was loaded with one round of ammunition.
Thompson was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to various state felony convictions. In 2013, Thompson was convicted of strong-arm robbery. While serving a probationary term on the robbery conviction, Thompson was arrested in 2015 for selling cocaine and marijuana. He was later convicted on those drug charges and his probation was revoked. In 2018, Thompson was convicted of assault and battery first degree. Thompson was on probation for the assault and battery first degree conviction when the July 2020 shooting incident occurred.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Thompson to 57 months in prison, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
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Two South Carolina Men Charged with Hate Crimes for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned an indictment yesterday charging two South Carolina men with hate crimes in connection with a string of bias-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims.
According to court documents, beginning in Jan. 2021 and continuing through Feb. 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 26, and Michael Joseph Knox, 28, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that the defendants committed three armed robberies as part of the conspiracy, including one carjacking, because of the victims’ race and national origin and because those individuals were using places of public accommodation.
Clippard and Knox are charged with three hate crime counts, one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking and three firearms offenses. If convicted, each faces a minimum penalty of 21 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office is investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Columbia Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two South Carolina Men Charged with Hate Crimes for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned an indictment today charging two South Carolina men with hate crimes in connection with a string of bias-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 26, and Michael Joseph Knox, 28, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that the defendants committed three armed robberies as part of the conspiracy, including one carjacking, because of the victims’ race and national origin and because those individuals were using places of public accommodation.
Clippard and Knox are charged with three hate crime counts, one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking and three firearms offenses. If convicted, each faces a minimum penalty of 21 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office is investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Columbia Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
clippard_and_knox_superseding_indictment.pdfSecond Gunman Sentenced for Drug-Fueled Shooting at Greenville-Spartanburg International AirportRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. --- The second of two men whose attempt to rob marijuana traffickers led to a gun battle at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport has been sentenced to more than 19 years in federal prison.
Twenty-one-year-old Kendrick Naveed Corbin, of Columbia, was sentenced to 231 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. In Sept., Corbin’s co-defendant, Dequadry Kendrick Razor, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the robbery and shooting.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Jan. 25, 2022, two drug traffickers flew into GSP from Los Angeles carrying approximately 50 pounds of marijuana in two suitcases. The traffickers exited the terminal with the marijuana, where they were picked up by two associates in a Dodge Challenger. Unbeknownst to them, Razor and Corbin were sitting in a car outside the terminal, waiting to rob them.
After loading their suitcases into the trunk of the Challenger, the traffickers pulled into a parking garage adjacent to the terminal, where they planned to transfer some of the marijuana into another vehicle. As they began to get out of the car, Razor and Corbin rushed in with pistols drawn, and a gunfight broke out. One of the traffickers was shot, and Razor and Corbin fled without the suitcases, as the traffickers returned fire. Multiple vehicles parked in the garage were struck in the crossfire.
The wounded trafficker was rushed to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, but ultimately survived. The driver of the Challenger, Jaondre Collier, chased Corbin and Razor to the exit of the garage. As Corbin attempted to feed a ticket into the kiosk to exit the garage, Collier pulled up behind them and opened fire again. An innocent bystander was trapped in her vehicle behind the fleeing robbers as Collier fired over her car, striking the kiosk. Razor and Corbin were able to exit the garage and fled back to Columbia.
Responding officers found the suitcases of marijuana in Collier’s trunk and two pistols in his glovebox. In Sept., Collier was sentenced to 68 months in prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The robbers’ vehicle was traced to a home where Razor was staying, and law enforcement discovered marijuana and firearms in his bedroom. One of the guns was forensically linked to shell casings recovered from the garage at GSP. Razor was arrested and indicted for the robbery.
After considerable investigation, the FBI identified Corbin as the second shooter in the GSP robbery, and he was federally indicted. On Jan. 3, 2023, investigators learned that Corbin was once again headed to GSP, and the FBI and local law enforcement responded to the airport to arrest him. They found Corbin and another man, Anthony Brown, sitting outside the terminal, and both were armed. Officers also arrested Maurice Deon Bynum, who had just flown into GSP from California and was attempting to load a suitcase full of marijuana into the vehicle Corbin was driving. Brown and Bynum were also recently sentenced to prison terms for their roles in the conspiracy.
Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr. sentenced the defendants in this case. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the GSP Airport District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Georgia Gang Member on Bond for Murder Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kendaryl Rogers a/k/a “Elajuwon Rogers,” 30, of Columbus, Georgia, was sentenced to 71 months – nearly six years – in federal prison for the possession of a firearm and ammunition recovered by the U.S. Marshals when Rogers was arrested in South Carolina for pending murder charges in Georgia. Rogers was a felon and therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Marshals determined that Rogers was at a hotel in Columbia, South Carolina. At the time, Rogers was on bond for state charges in Georgia for kidnapping, battery, and obstructing a person making an emergency call in an incident where Rogers is alleged to have struck a female victim with a closed fist in the face. He was also wanted for arrest on 18 additional felony charges out of Georgia, including malice murder, two counts of felony murder, six counts related to a Georgia gang statute, two counts for discharge of a firearm during a felony, four firearm possession counts, three aggravated assaults counts, two terroristic threats counts, and battery, among other charges.
According to evidence presented in Court, the U.S. Marshals observed Rogers carrying a large black bag to a vehicle in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn Express in Columbia. When agents approached to arrest him, they observed an American Tactical, Omni Hybrid, Multi-Caliber Pistol sitting in the trunk in plain view on top of the bag with a stock attached. The firearm also had a spent shell casing catcher attached so that spent casings would not be left behind when the firearm was shot. Agents also found a bucket, rubber gloves, and bleach inside Rogers’ hotel room. Inside the car was distribution quantity marijuana and a magazine loaded with 31 rounds of .223 ammunition.
The FBI recovered a video broadcast by Rogers on social media the day before pointing that firearm at the camera lens numerous times, and the FBI determined that Rogers left his DNA and his fingerprints on the firearm. The FBI also recovered a recorded jail call where Rogers said to the other caller that the gun was “brand new, it wasn’t ever used in nothing, the gun was brand new.”
At sentencing, evidence was presented that Rogers was the member of a street gang. The Court found that Rogers used the firearm in connection with drug distribution, and social media content recovered by federal search warrant showed dozens of additional firearms possessions.
State charges remain pending against Rogers in Georgia for shooting incidents and firearm brandishes in Columbus, Georgia on Aug. 6, 2020 (a murder and attempted murder incident that is being prosecuted by the Gang Prosecution Unit at the Georgia Attorney General’s Office); Aug. 8, 2020, Dec. 30, 2020; and Jan. 22, 2021. Rogers is presumed innocent on all charges that have not been adjudicated. State courts in Georgia granted Rogers a bond on pending charges; he was ordered detained in the federal system in South Carolina.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Rogers to 71 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of Court-ordered supervision – both at the top end of the advisory federal sentencing guidelines. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI in South Carolina and Georgia, and the U.S. Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force, with critical assistance from the Columbia (S.C.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Media: attached is an exhibit from Court showing the recovered firearm and other items as well as two screengrabs from Rogers’ social media broadcast.
us_v._rogers_-_sentencing_exhibit_0.pdfRegistered Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Traveling to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Brandon Lazarus Pelphrey, 26, of Monroe, North Carolina, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by a Registered Sex Offender.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Pelphrey traveled from Monroe, North Carolina, to Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina on Nov. 5, 2021, to have sex with whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl he met online on chat applications Scout and KIK. Pelphrey was actually communicating with an officer of the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force posing as a minor. Prior to his trip, Pelphrey transmitted a sexually explicit photograph of himself to the perceived minor female. Upon arrival at the undercover location, Pelphrey was arrested and taken into custody. Further investigation revealed that Pelphrey was previously convicted of a sexual offense with a minor while he was enlisted in the United States Army, and he was a registered sex offender.
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Pelphrey to 120 months for Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and 120 months imprisonment for Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by a Registered Sex Offender, to be followed by a life term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Pelphrey’s actions are reprehensible and thankfully he was stopped before he could victimize an innocent child; subjecting them to unspeakable trauma,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “We will remain vigilant and unwavering in our commitment to protect our community and hold predators accountable for their crimes.”
“We will work tirelessly to protect our children from predators like Pelphrey,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “This just sentence serves as a warning to those who attempt to harm the most innocent among us.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD), the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office (SCAG), and other members of the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
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Media note: If you are seeking a booking photo, Pelphrey is currently detained at the Charleston County Detention Center.
Summerville Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Raynard Smith, 42, and Lanard Smith, 42, of Summerville, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to crimes involving the selling of counterfeit goods.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that both men operated store fronts and sold merchandise, to include sports jerseys, that had been imported from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, and Taiwan. Both men knew that the goods they were purchasing and importing from these countries were counterfeit. Both men each had a prior felony conviction from 2008, which also stemmed from the trafficking of counterfeit goods.
“I commend the hard work of the special agents and officers in pursuing this case and bringing these fraudsters to justice,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “HSI Charlotte is committed to working with our law enforcement and private industry partners to aggressively investigate trademark counterfeiting to protect consumers and ensure a level playing field for legitimate businesses.”
“Counterfeit goods pose a serious threat not only to businesses but also to consumer safety,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office along with our federal partners take these crimes seriously and will go after those who commit illicit activities that impact our marketplace. “
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced both Raynard Smith and Lanard Smith to one year and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Lanard Smith was ordered to pay $130,341.99 in restitution and Raynard Smith was ordered to pay $14,992.17 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Federal Indictment Returned for Obstruction of Justice and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Greenville returned a two-count indictment against Da’Ron Jerome Collins, 47, of Boiling Springs for obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
The indictment alleges that Collins knowingly obstructed the investigation of a matter within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, that is, kidnapping, a possible violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a); and that Collins knowingly engaged in misleading conduct towards another person with the intent to hinder, delay, and prevent the communication of information relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense to a law enforcement officer and a judge of the United States.
Collins faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment as to each count and is currently being held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center. A detention hearing is scheduled for Nov. 21 at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin F. McDonald.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leesa Washington is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm While Out on Bond for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Nicholas Vanover, 26, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Vanover had been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a 2022 federal case. After he pled guilty to that felon in possession charge, he was allowed to stay out on bond while awaiting sentencing. While awaiting sentencing, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives learned that Vanover was continuing to sell marijuana from his apartment.
While on bond and awaiting sentencing for his prior firearm guilty plea, he violated the conditions of his bond by having multiple positive drug tests. Probation officers obtained an arrest warrant for his bond violations and U.S. Marshals served the warrant at Vanover’s apartment. When they entered the apartment, they saw a digital scale with marijuana with several large capacity ammunition magazines. They obtained a search warrant and found a .40 caliber Glock handgun with a drum magazine capable of accepting 50 rounds of ammunition, several extended magazines capable of accepting more than 15 rounds of ammunition, an AK-47 style 7.62x39 mm Century Arms rifle, four large bags containing more than 500 grams of marijuana, approximately $16,000.00 in U.S. currency, a money counter, and a pharmacist-sized (one pint) bottle of codeine cough syrup which had been stolen during a pharmacy robbery in Kershaw County.
Vanover faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Vanover after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Four People Sentenced in Multimillion-Dollar PPP SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Lori Hammond, a/k/a Lori McCracken, a/k/a Lori Blakely, 54, of Summerville, Christopher Conrad, 41, of Holly Hill, Catherine “Cassie” Needham, 38, of Manning, and Jontrell Wright, 37, of Orangeburg, were sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and misusing the funds. The Honorable David C. Norton presided over the sentencing hearings in Charleston.
Evidence presented during the sentencing hearings established that Lori Hammond submitted more than $11 million is fraudulent loan applications for PPP and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for her personal enrichment and the personal enrichment of her co-conspirators Conrad, Needham, and Wright. The loan applications contained inflated employee and payroll funds, were often submitted on behalf of companies that did not exist or were inactive and included fake business addresses and fraudulent tax documents. More than $5.8 million in PPP and EIDL loans were paid to Hammond and her co-conspirators.
Hammond personally received $3,162,038.50 in PPP and EIDL loan funds. Hammond thereafter spent the money on personal expenses, including purchasing a home, luxury vehicles, a golf cart, and plastic surgery. On Oct. 17, the Court sentenced Hammond to 80 months imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The Court also ordered Hammond to pay $2,722,932.50 in restitution, representing the remaining outstanding unpaid loans funds.
Conrad fraudulently received $898,300 in loan funds and spent the funds largely on unapproved personal expenses. On Nov. 14, the Court sentenced Conrad to 12 months and one day incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The Court ordered Conrad to pay $898,300 in restitution.
Needham fraudulently received $1,244,200 and thereafter used the funds for improper personal expenses, including purchasing property, a golf cart, a pool, home improvements, and plastic surgery. On Sept. 13, the Court sentenced Needham to 21-months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The Court ordered Needham to pay $1,244,200 in restitution.
Wright fraudulently received $561,700.00 in loan funds and thereafter spent the funds on unapproved personal expenses. On Dec. 19, 2022, the Court sentenced Wright to 15 months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The Court ordered Wright to pay $561,700.00 in restitution.
“While millions of South Carolinians were struggling during the pandemic, these defendants defrauded the systems meant to provide relief,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “We will continue to pursue bad actors such as these and hold them accountable for exploiting these resources for their own gain.”
“These sentences reflect the severity of PPP loan fraud,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Such crimes challenge the integrity of relief programs designed for those who need assistance most. The FBI is committed to holding offenders accountable and safeguarding loan programs to ensure the public’s trust in our financial systems.”This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse prosecuted this case.
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Anderson Man and Phoenix Woman Sentenced to 235 Months and 48 Months Respectively for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ANDERSON, S.C. — Darrecos Lamon Taylor, 42, of Anderson, was sentenced to 235 months for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine and 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine. Jessica Miranda, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 48 months for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that since 2022, Darrecos Taylor conspired with other members of the drug trafficking organization (DTO) to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine in the Upstate of South Carolina. In the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized multiple kilograms of cocaine and half a kilogram of methamphetamine Taylor intended to distribute and $124,000 in drug proceeds. Taylor had previously been convicted of a serious federal drug felony in the District of South Carolina. Miranda was a courier for the DTO and was arrested after she was surveilled delivering approximately two kilograms of cocaine to Taylor. Upon her arrest, Miranda was found with more cocaine that she was transporting on behalf of the DTO.
United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Darrecos Taylor to 235 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 10-year term of court-ordered supervision. Jessica Miranda was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment, to be followed by a four-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Aaron T. Simmons, 26, of Greenville, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between Aug. 2019 and Aug. 2020. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between Aug. 2019 and Nov. 2019.
“Sex trafficking is a pernicious crime that preys upon vulnerable victims, including minors, and causes them grave harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human traffickers and standing up for the defenseless people they exploit.”
“Today’s plea sends a message to those who harm others in this vile way: you will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Crimes of this nature can create lifelong trauma for survivors. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly prosecute trafficking cases.”
“The FBI and its partners are committed in our resolve to topple human trafficking operations and providing a path towards healing for survivors,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “This guilty plea is a crucial step towards justice for the victims, who are suffering lasting trauma from the defendant’s heinous crimes.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Simmons faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office, Greenville Resident Agency and the Greenville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Aaron T. Simmons, 26, of Greenville, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between August 2019 and August 2020. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in the Greenville area between August 2019 and November 2019.
“Sex trafficking is a pernicious crime that preys upon vulnerable victims, including minors, and causes them grave harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human traffickers and standing up for the defenseless people they exploit.”
“Today’s plea sends a message to those who harm others in this vile way: you will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Crimes of this nature can create lifelong trauma for survivors. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly prosecute trafficking cases.”
“The FBI and its partners are committed in our resolve to topple human trafficking operations and providing a path towards healing for survivors,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “This guilty plea is a crucial step towards justice for the victims, who are suffering lasting trauma from the defendant’s heinous crimes.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Simmons faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office, Greenville Resident Agency and the Greenville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
South Carolina Man Found Guilty of Obstruction and Other Charges During Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man was convicted on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, of one felony and four misdemeanor charges related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Derek Cooper Gunby, 43, of Anderson, South Carolina, was convicted by a jury of one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony, and four misdemeanor counts of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman will sentence Gunby on March 1, 2024.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Gunby drove from his residence in South Carolina to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021. On the morning of January 6th, Gunby posted a photo of himself in fatigues traveling on the Metro, with the caption, “Up at Zero Dark Thirty to stop this steal.” Gunby attended the “Stop the Steal” rally and afterward headed toward the U.S. Capitol building.
Gunby entered the restricted grounds on the west side of the Capitol at around 2:15 p.m. and approached the northwest stairs. Gunby narrated a recording on his phone stating, “I think that the building’s been breached. . . . We’re trying to head up and get in there. The scaffolding up there is just crawling with people and these steps, they’ve already made it up all the way up the stairs. And tear gas has been deployed over here.
As Gunby made his way up the northwest stairs, he continued to narrate the scene, “We’re on the Capitol steps… and we are trying to storm the Capitol building. We’re taking the country back. You don’t get to do this to my country and not suffer consequences.” Gunby then made his way into the Northwest Courtyard, where he joined the crowd of rioters pushing their way into the Capitol building through the Senate Parliamentarian Door. As he moved closer and closer towards the building’s entrance, Gunby explained, “We’ve got some breaches in the Capitol building… in which I’m about to go, because enough is enough… We’re depending on Mike Pence to do the right thing in certifying this vote? No.” Gunby also encouraged other rioters in front of him to push their way into the Capitol building by shouting, “Push forward! Push forward!”
At around 2:58 p.m., Gunby entered the Capitol building via the Senate Parliamentarian Door and recorded video as he moved further into the building. However, police positioned further down the hallway forced rioters out of the building. At approximately 3:01 p.m., officers pushed Gunby and the rest of the rioters back out of the Senate Parliamentarian Door.
Immediately after his expulsion from the building, Gunby remained on Capitol grounds and made his way to the Upper West Terrace. From that vantage point, Gunby witnessed rioters and police clash below and joined in a “Police stand down!” chant. He then moved closer to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, closer to where the violence was taking place, and recorded additional video of the confrontations between police and rioters. Gunby remained on restricted Capitol grounds for well over two hours.
Shortly after the riot, Gunby recorded a video while on the Metro. During the video, Gunby spoke for almost ten minutes about the riot and why he believed it occurred. Gunby stated, in part, that “We all pretty much surrounded the Capitol. We are at a point now in this country where they are going to listen to us, they have to listen to us” and “If the American patriot wanted to storm this Capitol, take over this building, and take care of all of Congress in there, they could do it. They could do it…”
The FBI arrested Gunby on Aug. 10, 2021, in South Carolina. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Columbia and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 34 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,200 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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Berkeley Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Impersonation and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jeremy Allen Hughes, 39, of Goose Creek, was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to impersonating a federal law enforcement officer and possessing a weapon after a domestic violence conviction.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Jeremy Hughes told witnesses his name was Brian Williams and falsely claimed he was with the U.S. Marshals searching for a fugitive. Hughes carried a pistol and shotgun and wore tactical clothing with a “Police U.S. Marshals” shirt. Investigators arrested Hughes on Dec. 1, 2021. During the arrest, Hughes unlawfully possessed multiple firearms and ammunition. During a search warrant at his residence, investigators located several additional firearms and ammunition. Hughes is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to a previous domestic violence conviction.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Hughes to four years imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case.
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Three Lexington County Men Sentenced in Methamphetamine Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Kenneth Eddy Frye, 58, Christopher David Jeffcoat, 42, and Jerry Lynn Cordell, 41, were sentenced today for their involvement in a methamphetamine drug conspiracy that occurred in Lexington County.
Evidence presented to the Court during their guilty plea hearing revealed that Frye, Jeffcoat, and Cordell were involved in distributing methamphetamine in Lexington County. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department NET team along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began an investigation of the men. Using an undercover agent, they made methamphetamine purchases from the men on seven different occasions buying amounts of methamphetamine ranging from 50 grams up to over 200 grams at a time. These purchases happened Jeffcoat’s home in Gaston, S.C. and a local nightclub in Lexington County. At sentencing, each defendant admitted that his use of methamphetamine lead to his involvement in the conspiracy.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Frye to a total of 37 months, Jeffcoat to a total of 100 months, and Cordell to a total of 65 months imprisonment with each having four years of court-ordered supervision following release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department NET team. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Serial Armed Robber Convicted at Federal Trial Following String of Midlands Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Deveon Antonio Belk, 36, of Irmo, was convicted following a multi-day bench trial on 15 counts: seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, seven counts of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that Belk robbed at least seven Columbia and Lexington-area businesses at gunpoint between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16, 2020:
- Robbery 1 – Nov. 9 at Wendy’s at 95 Woodcross Dr., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 2 – Nov. 10 at Dollar General at 6246 Two Notch Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 3 – Nov. 11 at Family Dollar at 4524 Monticello Road, Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 4 – Nov. 13 at CVS at 4627 North Main St., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 5 – Nov. 15 at Dollar General at 536 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 6 – Nov. 15 at SKS Mart at 1615 Decker Blvd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 7 – Nov. 16 at Dollar General at 7145 Broad River Rd., Irmo, S.C.
Belk used a distinctive black Saturn sedan in many of the robberies. He would park nearby, approach the businesses on foot, act as if he was purchasing a low value item in cash, and when the cashier opened or approached the cash drawer, he brandished a black and silver Ruger 9mm pistol and demanded the register or safe be emptied. During some robberies, he did not wait for that transaction, he would point the firearm at the clerk and demand money upon entry. Belk forced many victims to the back of the store or into a closet. He then left on foot at a casual pace, often passing legitimate customers on the way. He disposed his clothing at or near the crime scenes, and he then left in the Saturn.
At trial, 13 victims testified. One was 16 years old at the time of the robbery. One was forced into a closet that Belk kicked in; she was seen in surveillance crying on the ground calling the police for help. Another victim testified about Belk pressing the gun into her body. One encouraged Belk to not commit the robbery because he as on camera and would be caught. Many victims testified that they were afraid for their lives during the robberies.
Every robbery, as well as Belk’s approach to and flight from many of the crime scenes, was recorded on surveillance video. Numerous people who knew Belk testified at trial that it was Belk on video committing the robberies. His DNA was found on clothing left near four of the seven robberies, and on the firearm that he used in every robbery.
A search warrant was executed at a Lexington apartment where Belk was staying on Nov. 17, 2020, one day after the final robbery. Belk was arrested that day and at that apartment police found the firearm Belk used in every robbery, the shoes he wore in multiple robberies, and the Saturn.
Belk was convicted for conduct related to the seven robberies above, but by way of a notice filed on the public docket (ECF No. 73), the Government has indicated that Belk was likely responsible for at least six more:
- Robbery 8 – Oct. 20 at Speedway at 637 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 9 – Oct. 21, 2020 at Shell at 441 Piney Grove Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 10 – Oct. 25, 2020 at Shell at 6930 North Main St., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 11 – Oct. 26, 2020 at S&S Mart at 8303 Winnsboro Rd., Blythewood, S.C.
- Robbery 12 – Oct. 31, 2020 at Speedway at 637 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, S.C.
- Robbery 13 – Nov. 16, 2020 at BP at 8404 Two Notch Rd., Columbia, S.C.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the trial and will sentence Belk after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Belk faces a mandatory minimum of 49 years in federal prison following the firearm brandish in connection with a crime of violence convictions, plus any additional term of imprisonment he receives for the robberies or the firearm possession count.
“This conviction highlights the good work of local law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs said. “A violent offender was terrorizing multiple communities and this partnership and coordination will keep him behind bars.”
“Belk was a serial robber committing crimes over many jurisdictions,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “Being prosecuted in Federal Court allowed for all the crimes to be tried together so he can receive an appropriate sentence. This is a great example of local and federal agencies working together to protect the citizens of South Carolina.”
“This is a great example of how strong relationships between agencies make our community a safer place,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Because of the commitment of state and local law enforcement agencies, we were able to address an issue affecting members of our community.”
“Deveon Belk’s four weeks of robberies brought fear to our business community and victimized over a dozen hard-working citizens,” Columbia Police Chief W. H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook said. “This case represents the best of law enforcement partnerships and collaboration in the pursuit of justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia Police Department, with critical assistance from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lamar J. Fyall, Ariyana N. Gore prosecuted the case.
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Media note: attached are two exhibits from trial for your use. One is a map showing the incident locations and the other is an image from video surveillance during a robbery.
gx_102_-_robbery_5_brandish_0.pdf gx_169_-_summary_chart_0.pdfWalterboro Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Walterboro couple, David Hiers, 45, and his wife Loretta Hiers 33, has been sentenced to three years and two years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that in May 2019, an individual named A.D. needed money to hire a lawyer for a jailed relative. The jailed relative advised A.D. to ask David Hiers for financial help. David Hiers told A.D. he would help and asked A.D. to provide his or her personal identifying information, including a picture of A.D.’s driver’s license and Social Security Account number. David Hiers also told A.D. that his or her credit would go bad. David Hiers advised A.D. that he would be able to repair A.D.’s credit in about six months because he had contacts to fix credit. David Hiers also said that he had done this many times with many people and for A.D. not to worry about it. Loretta Hiers informed A.D. that everything was going to be fine, and that A.D. was not going to be in trouble.
The Hiers proceeded to use A.D.’s personal identifying information (PII) to execute a fraudulent loan scheme whereby they obtained money from various federally insured banks and credit unions and other lending corporations by submitting fraudulent automobile, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, and farming equipment loan applications in the name of A.D., and they obtained approximately $393,029.06 in fraudulent loan proceeds.
To execute the fraud scheme, the Hiers utilized a used automobile dealership, namely Lowcountry Used Cars, LLC, located in Round O, S.C., that purported to be the seller of vehicles that were to be purchased with the fraudulent loans. The Hiers also set up bank accounts in the name of the dealership. The multiple false loan applications included fraudulent information about the details of the transactions, A.D.’s financial information, the purpose of the loans, and the collateral backing certain loans. The loans included A.D.’s PII even though A.D. was not actually purchasing vehicles or equipment, as well as false information concerning “ghost” vehicles that were purportedly going to be purchased with the loan proceeds, and fraudulent documents supporting the “ghost” automobile loans, including fictitious purchase orders. The Hiers used vehicle identification numbers (VIN) they obtained from the internet for the “ghost” automobile loans.
The Hiers deposited checks from the lenders, which were written to Lowcountry Used Cars, LLC and/or to A.D., into banks in the name of the dealership and into bank accounts that were otherwise under the control of the Hiers or A.D. The Hiers gave some of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to A.D., while keeping a portion of the fraudulent loan proceeds for themselves.
Around July 2019, A.D. confronted David Hiers and told him to stop doing what he was doing concerning A.D.’s credit. David Hiers then ended all contact with A.D.. Nevertheless, the Hiers continued to obtain fraudulent loans for motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and farming equipment from lenders in the name of A.D., without A.D.’s knowledge. On many occasions, Loretta Hiers posed as A.D. and used A.D.’s PII, including a forged driver’s license of A.D. Ultimately, the fraudulently obtained loans defaulted, causing losses to the lenders. The Hiers obtained approximately $393,029.06 in fraudulent loan proceeds via the scheme. The FBI seized and liquidated assets that were applied to the restitution in the case. A restitution amount of $252,369.31 remains outstanding.
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced David Hiers to 36 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Hendricks sentenced Loretta Hiers to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Hendricks also ordered that David Hiers and Loretta Hiers each pay $252,369.31 in restitution, jointly and severally. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Colleton County Sheriff’s Office assisted in executing search warrants and arrest warrants in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
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Six Sentenced in Federal Court for their Role in Columbia Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C.— Three men and three women from the Midlands were sentenced after pleading guilty in federal court to their roles in a heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana trafficking conspiracy based in Columbia.
- Marcus Antonio Ashford, 44, of Columbia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.
- Debra Ann Thomas, 69, of Hopkins, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
- Tremeka R. Myers, 50, of Columbia was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
- Rashad Naheem Myers, 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
- Jemica Octavia Maxwell, 42, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and marijuana.
- Shaquan Maxwell, 26, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Marcus Antonio Ashford was the leader of a heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana distribution ring operating in and around Columbia, S.C. Debra Ann Thomas, Jemica Octavia Maxwell. and Shaquan Maxwell were drug distributors working on behalf of Ashford. Tremeka R. Myers and Rashad Naheem Myers were facilitators in the conspiracy. The Myers’ home was used as a location for co-conspirators to prepare heroin for sale.
Between Sept. 2019, and July 2020, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled buys of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture from Ashford and his co-defendants. Some of the drugs were sold directly by Ashford; others were sold by Ashford’s co-defendants working on his behalf. Based upon the controlled buys and related investigation, in approximately two years, Ashford and his organization were responsible for trafficking nearly one kilogram of heroin, 31 grams of fentanyl, and multiple kilograms of marijuana.
Law enforcement conducted six controlled buys of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture from Debra Ann Thomas between Sept. 2019 and March 2020. Ashford was present at several of those sales and was ultimately identified as Thomas’s source of supply.
On June 15, 2020, law enforcement contacted Ashford to set up a purchase of one ounce of heroin. At the time, Ashford was not in Columbia. Ashford contacted Tremeka and Rashad Myers and asked them to allow Shaquan Maxwell to come to their house to prepare the heroin for sale. Later that day, Shaquan Maxwell delivered approximately one ounce of heroin to the purported buyer. When Shaquan Maxwell met with the buyer to conduct the sale, Maxwell had Ashford on a video call and Ashford explained that Maxwell was delivering the heroin on his behalf.
Approximately one month later, on July 10, 2020, law enforcement arranged for another buy of one ounce of heroin from Ashford. Ashford was again out of town and turned to Jemica Octavia Maxwell to prepare the heroin for sale at the home of Tremeka and Rashad Myers.
In Sept. 2020, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car belonging to Ashford and driven by Jemica Maxwell. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement found 2.7 kilograms of marijuana.
On Oct. 27, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at several homes around Columbia. At the home of Tremeka and Rashad Myers, which had been used by the conspiracy members to prepare heroin for sale, law enforcement found a quantity of marijuana, equipment for preparing heroin for sale, a Taurus 9mm handgun and ammunition. In the home of Jemica and Shaquan Maxwell, which had been frequented by conspiracy members throughout the investigation, law enforcement found nearly five kilograms of marijuana. In the kitchen cabinet, law enforcement found a loaded handgun next to a distribution-sized bag of marijuana.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced all six individuals. Marcus Antonio Ashford was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison. Debra Ann Thomas was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Tremeka R. Myers was sentenced to 60 months on federal probation. Rashad Naheem Myers was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. Jemica Octavia Maxwell was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. Shaquan Maxwell was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Ashford’s term of imprisonment will be followed by an eight-year term of court-ordered supervision. Thomas’s term of imprisonment will be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. Rashad Myers’s, Jemica Maxwell’s, and Shaquan Maxwell’s terms of imprisonment will be followed by three-year terms of court-ordered supervision.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.
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Doc Antle, Owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, Pleads Guilty to Federal Wildlife Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, 63, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and a conspiracy to launder money.
Antle is the owner and operator of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), also known as the Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve that offers tours and private encounters with exotic wildlife. Antle is also the Director of the Rare Species Fund, a nonprofit organization registered in South Carolina.
The Lacey Act prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife, fish or plants, including animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Antle conspired to violate the Lacey Act between Sept. 2018 and May 2020 by directing the sale or purchase of two cheetah cubs, two lion cubs, two tigers and one juvenile chimpanzee – all of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Antle used bulk cash payments to hide the transactions and falsified paperwork to show non-commercial transfers entirely within one state. Antle also requested that payments for endangered species be made to his nonprofit so they could appear as “donations.”
The investigation also uncovered evidence of money laundering between Feb. and April 2022, when Antle and a coconspirator conducted financial transactions with cash they believed was obtained from transporting and harboring illegal aliens. To conceal and disguise the nature of the illegal cash, Antle and his coconspirator would take the cash they received and deposit it into bank accounts they controlled. They would then write a check to the individual that had provided the cash after taking a 15% fee per transaction.
“The defendant held himself out as a conservationist, yet repeatedly violated laws protecting endangered animals and then tried to cover up those violations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to combatting illegal trafficking, which threatens the survival of endangered animals.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in combating illegal financial activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to upholding the integrity of our financial systems and ensuring justice is served.”
“Wildlife crime is often connected with other criminal activity, including money-laundering," said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “This investigation revealed a pattern of illicit wildlife transactions orchestrated by the defendant under the guise of donations and false paperwork. The Service and our partners will continue to hold accountable those involved in wildlife trafficking and other related crimes to ensure the future of all federally protected species. The Service will continue to bring to justice individuals who profit from the illegal trafficking of big cats and endangered species.”
“This plea is the product of exemplary collaboration between our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “I commend our team for their work on this case who worked countless hours to unravel Antle’s sophisticated web of financial crimes and interstate wildlife trafficking. Our office remains committed to protecting endangered animals from those who would exploit them for profit.”
For each count, Antle faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Joseph Dawson III for the District of South Carolina accepted Antle’s guilty plea. He will sentence Antle after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.
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Doc Antle, Owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, Pleads Guilty to Federal Wildlife Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, 63, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and a conspiracy to launder money.
Antle is the owner and operator of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), also known as the Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve that offers tours and private encounters with exotic wildlife. Antle is also the Director of the Rare Species Fund, a nonprofit organization registered in South Carolina.
The Lacey Act prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife, fish or plants, including animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Antle conspired to violate the Lacey Act between September 2018 and May 2020 by directing the sale or purchase of two cheetah cubs, two lion cubs, two tigers and one juvenile chimpanzee – all of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Antle used bulk cash payments to hide the transactions and falsified paperwork to show non-commercial transfers entirely within one state. Antle also requested that payments for endangered species be made to his nonprofit so they could appear as “donations.”
The investigation also uncovered evidence of money laundering between February and April 2022, when Antle and a coconspirator conducted financial transactions with cash they believed was obtained from transporting and harboring illegal aliens. To conceal and disguise the nature of the illegal cash, Antle and his coconspirator would take the cash they received and deposit it into bank accounts they controlled. They would then write a check to the individual that had provided the cash after taking a 15% fee per transaction.
“The defendant held himself out as a conservationist, yet repeatedly violated laws protecting endangered animals and then tried to cover up those violations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to combatting illegal trafficking, which threatens the survival of endangered animals.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in combating illegal financial activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to upholding the integrity of our financial systems and ensuring justice is served.”
“Wildlife crime is often connected with other criminal activity, including money-laundering," said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “This investigation revealed a pattern of illicit wildlife transactions orchestrated by the defendant under the guise of donations and false paperwork. The Service and our partners will continue to hold accountable those involved in wildlife trafficking and other related crimes to ensure the future of all federally protected species. The Service will continue to bring to justice individuals who profit from the illegal trafficking of big cats and endangered species.”
“This plea is the product of exemplary collaboration between our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “I commend our team for their work on this case who worked countless hours to unravel Antle’s sophisticated web of financial crimes and interstate wildlife trafficking. Our office remains committed to protecting endangered animals from those who would exploit them for profit.”
For each count, Antle faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Joseph Dawson III for the District of South Carolina accepted Antle’s guilty plea. He will sentence Antle after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition in Connection with a Near Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Bernard Breeland, 37, of Columbia, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after being found guilty at trial to possession of ammunition by a felon.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Feb. 4, 2020, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) responded to a shooting incident at a local apartment complex. At the complex, CPD officers discovered a living male victim with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the parking lot near 9 fired .45 auto shell casings.
Further investigation by CPD led to the recovery of surveillance cameras which captured the incident. The surveillance footage revealed Bernard Breeland walking across a parking lot, grabbing a male by the collar, brandishing a firearm, and shooting the male at close range multiple times before running away from the crime scene. The shooting victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds as a result of the injury. Surveillance footage further revealed the shooting took place in a portion of the parking lot where CPD later recovered the .45 auto shell casings.
The shell casings were all the same brand, and a Nexus expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) testified at trial that the shells casings affected interstate commerce because they were manufactured outside of the state of South Carolina.
Breeland was a known gang member and an officer with the Midlands Gang Task Force identified Breeland from the surveillance footage. Breeland has a prior federal conviction for a racketeering conspiracy involving a national street gang which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Breeland to a maximum term of 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Benjamin Garner prosecuted the case.
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Three Time Child Pornography Possessor Pleads Guilty to Fourth Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — David Elliott Paulsen, 61, pled guilty to his fourth federal offense of Possession of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Paulsen admitted that within four months of his release from the Bureau of Prisons for a 2014 conviction for possession of child pornography, he possessed a contraband phone and child pornography.
After his release from federal prison in March 2023, Paulsen was required to complete the remainder of his sentence at a residential reentry facility in Columbia. Paulsen admitted that on July 13, 2023, employees of the residential reentry center discovered a contraband phone in his room. Law enforcement searched the phone and discovered over 1,200 images containing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and at least one video. These CSAM images included adults sexually abusing children that were tied with ropes or duct tape. Paulsen admitted that he kept these images in password protected cellphone applications and was downloading these images from the Dark Web.
Paulsen has three prior federal convictions from 1993, 2004, and 2014 for possession of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison. Paulsen, who was previously ordered detained, will remain detained until sentencing before United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department to Announce Civil Rights Investigations Related to South CarolinaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina will hold a press conference to announce civil rights investigations.
WHEN: Today, Nov. 2, at 12:30 p.m. ET
WHO: Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs
WHERE: Media must RSVP to receive the Zoom link.
OPEN PRESS
Media planning to attend must RSVP to Julia Hartnett at [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. ET.
Any inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Aryele Bradford at [email protected] or Julia Hartnett at [email protected]
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Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigations into Conditions in South Carolina JailsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it has opened two separate civil investigations into the conditions in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered from stakeholders, the department has found significant justification to open these investigations. The department received credible allegations that incarcerated persons have died from use of force, gross medical neglect or suicide in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. The department also received credible allegations that the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is structurally unsafe and that there have been sexual assaults, homicides and prevalent violence resulting in serious injuries.
“People confined in local jails across our country do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching these investigations to determine whether the jail conditions in two of South Carolina’s largest counties comply with basic constitutional standards. We are committed to ensuring that people held inside jails and prisons are not subjected to excessive force, violent conditions, inadequate medical and mental health care, and other dangerous physical conditions while in the custody of their local government.”
“Our office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights and ensuring the safety of all people in South Carolina, including those being detained or incarcerated in county detention centers,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We look forward to working with the Civil Rights Division to ensure the safety of those housed in these facilities.”
These facilities are both local jails, separately operated and funded by Charleston and Richland Counties. The Sheriff Al Cannon Detention center is operated by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is operated by the County through a Director.
The investigation of the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center will examine medical and mental health care, use of isolation and use of force. It will also examine whether the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office discriminates against persons with disabilities inside the Detention Center. At the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the department will examine living conditions and whether the detention center fails to protect incarcerated individuals from violence.
Before this announcement, officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina notified Charleston and Richland County officials, and officials in both counties have pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. Both investigations will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Al Cannon Detention Center investigation will also be conducted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of people confined to correctional facilities. The department’s work has led to important reforms to protect the rights of people in jails and prisons.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting these investigations jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of South Carolina. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department about the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-3201 or by email at [email protected] and the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-4059 or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons.
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Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigations into Conditions in South Carolina JailsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened two separate civil investigations into the conditions in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered from stakeholders, the department has found significant justification to open these investigations. The department received credible allegations that incarcerated persons have died from use of force, gross medical neglect or suicide in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. The department also received credible allegations that the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is structurally unsafe and that there have been sexual assaults, homicides and prevalent violence resulting in serious injuries.
“People confined in local jails across our country do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching these investigations to determine whether the jail conditions in two of South Carolina’s largest counties comply with basic constitutional standards. We are committed to ensuring that people held inside jails and prisons are not subjected to excessive force, violent conditions, inadequate medical and mental health care, and other dangerous physical conditions while in the custody of their local government.”
“Our office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights and ensuring the safety of all people in South Carolina, including those being detained or incarcerated in county detention centers,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We look forward to working with the Civil Rights Division to ensure the safety of those housed in these facilities.”
These facilities are both local jails, separately operated and funded by Charleston and Richland Counties. The Sheriff Al Cannon Detention center is operated by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is operated by the County through a Director.
The investigation of the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center will examine medical and mental health care, use of isolation and use of force. It will also examine whether the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office discriminates against persons with disabilities inside the Detention Center. At the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the department will examine living conditions and whether the detention center fails to protect incarcerated individuals from violence.
Before this announcement, officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina notified Charleston and Richland County officials, and officials in both counties have pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. Both investigations will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Al Cannon Detention Center investigation will also be conducted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of people confined to correctional facilities. The department’s work has led to important reforms to protect the rights of people in jails and prisons.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting these investigations jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of South Carolina. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department about the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-3201 or by email at [email protected] and the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center via phone at (888) 473-4059 or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons.
Gang Leader Sentenced to 30 years, Three Others Sentenced to Federal Prison, for Lexington Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The leader of a local street gang, Carlos Antonio Grooms, a/k/a “B Lord,” 36, of Columbia, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, following a federal drug conspiracy conviction. Three co-conspirators were also sentenced to federal prison for their role in the scheme.
Between 2020 and 2022, Grooms led a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing multiple kilograms of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Lexington and Columbia areas. Grooms sold drugs on video to agents with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) on numerous occasions, typically through drug users who he used as couriers. Evidence at sentencing indicated that he used as many as 9 others to distribute drugs, that the conspiracy used firearms in connection with drug trafficking, and that Grooms used numerous stash houses in the area to operate this conspiracy. Agents found a kilogram press, scales, night vision goggles, more than $10,000 in U.S. currency, a heat sealer, multiple cell phones, and other tools of the drug trade at Grooms’ house when he was arrested.
At sentencing, the Court found that Grooms continued to coordinate drug distributions while in federal custody over recorded jail phones and e-mail accounts, and that Grooms was the leader of a local criminal street gang.
The Court also found that Grooms threatened and tampered with numerous witnesses, including by telling witnesses to lie to agents or not speak with the police, and Grooms was responsible for at least one witness receiving what amounted to death threats. As a result, the Court enhanced Grooms’ sentence for obstruction and witness tampering.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Grooms to 30 years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of Court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Court also sentenced three others for helping Grooms in his drug distribution operation: Christine Elizabeth Horan (age 33, of Pelion, S.C.) was sentenced to 57 months to be followed by three years of Court-ordered supervision, Lucas Channing Austin (age 30, of Gaston, S.C.) was sentenced to 21 months to be followed by three years of Court-ordered supervision, and Emerald Kate Hearon (age 35, of Gaston, S.C.) was sentenced to Time Served (about 10 months) to be followed by two years of Court-ordered supervision. All three were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, and all three distributed narcotics for Grooms.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Former Police Chief Convicted for Cyberstalking and Threats in Multi-Victim Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — William Bruce Parker, a/k/a “Parker,” a/k/a “Willie Boner,” a/k/a “John Wayne,” of West Columbia, pled guilty of Cyberstalking Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Communicating Threats with the Intent to Extort victims for the production of pornography and coerced sex acts.
At the plea hearing, Parker, the 66-year-old former Chief of Police of the Town of Pine Ridge, SC, a retired 35-year veteran of law enforcement in South Carolina, who was a state constable at the time of the offenses, admitted to sending a series of threatening emails, texts, and voice messages in 2021 and 2022 from spoofed accounts and phone numbers to numerous female victims. His messages demanded his victims produce and send pornographic videos and photographs or he would harm the victims and their families, including physical and sexual violence directed at his victims and their spouses, children, and grandchildren, if they did not comply with his demands. In his threats, he named particular communities in which his victims engaged, he threatened specific family members, and he promised harm if they went to the police.
After receiving the demands, victims reached out to Parker for advice and help given his law enforcement background. Parker lied to the victims about working with law enforcement agencies on investigating the threats, and he instructed the victims to produce and send the pornography. He also falsely promised victims that by responding, police would be able to track the emails and identify the extortionist. Once Parker had the coerced pornography, he then threatened to leak the same to obtain more. His threats culminated with demands that the victims engage in sexual acts with Parker, record the conduct, and send to the extortionist accounts. Parker admitted to engaging or attempting to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts with these victims.
At the bond hearing, the Government indicated there is evidence that there are additional victims beyond the two listed in the charging document. Individuals with information related to this case are encouraged to contact FBI Columbia at (803) 551-4200.
Parker faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Parker was ordered detained pending sentencing by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Parker on Jan. 31, 2024 at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Boroughs Announces Nearly $500,000 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $482,804 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of South Carolina. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grants, to Anderson Police Department, the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, are part of several awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “The projects selected this year illustrate the value of combining community policing with the latest technology and investigative techniques to keep our neighborhoods safe. We are proud to work with these agencies.”
This year’s projects include funding a criminal operation research and evaluation unit, hiring a gang investigator, and purchasing a ballistics comparison microscope.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in the Murder of a Black Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today to obstructing an investigation into the December 2019 murder of a transgender woman.
According to court documents, on Aug. 15, 2019, Xavier Pinckney, 24, of Allendale, provided false and misleading information to state authorities investigating the murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman. Pinckney admitted that he concealed from state authorities the use of his phone to call and text Dime Doe the day of her murder and lied to state investigators about seeing Daqua Ritter, who allegedly shot Doe to death, on the morning of Doe’s murder.
“The defendant is being held accountable for trying to obstruct an investigation into the tragic murder of a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people, including transgender women of color, are on the rise and have no place in our society. The Justice Department remains steadfast in its commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence or who try to unlawfully obstruct investigations into these heinous crimes.”
“Hate has no place in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The senseless murder of Dime Doe, and any act of violence against the LGBTQI+ community, confirms the need to confront hate in all its forms. Our office will continue to pursue justice for those impacted by bias-motivated crimes.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to holding individuals accountable for their actions in the pursuit of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain determined to investigate crimes against marginalized communities and those who perpetrate them.”
Pinckney faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the obstruction of justice offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in the Murder of a Black Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today to obstructing an investigation into the December 2019 murder of a transgender woman.
According to court documents, on Aug. 15, 2019, Xavier Pinckney, 24, of Allendale, provided false and misleading information to state authorities investigating the murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman. Pinckney admitted that he concealed from state authorities the use of his phone to call and text Dime Doe the day of her murder and lied to state investigators about seeing Daqua Ritter, who allegedly shot Doe to death, on the morning of Doe’s murder.
“The defendant is being held accountable for trying to obstruct an investigation into the tragic murder of a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people, including transgender women of color, are on the rise and have no place in our society. The Justice Department remains steadfast in its commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who target LGBTQI+ people with acts of violence or who try to unlawfully obstruct investigations into these heinous crimes.”
“Hate has no place in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The senseless murder of Dime Doe, and any act of violence against the LGBTQI+ community, confirms the need to confront hate in all its forms. Our office will continue to pursue justice for those impacted by bias-motivated crimes.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to holding individuals accountable for their actions in the pursuit of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain determined to investigate crimes against marginalized communities and those who perpetrate them.”
Pinckney faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the obstruction of justice offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Chester Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment against Montell De’Angelo Cousar, 32, of Chester, for felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The indictment alleges that on May 5, 2023, Cousar unlawfully possessed a loaded Glock 9mm pistol after having been convicted of a previous felony.
Cousar faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and is currently detained pending trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rock Hill Police Department (RHPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Aiken Man Convicted of CockfightingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Roosevelt Curry, 68, of North Augusta, S.C., was convicted of participating in an animal fighting venture following a multi-day jury trial.
Evidence presented by the Government at trial in the case established that on March 12, 2022, Curry and others gathered at the property of Michael Roy Limehouse in Ridgeville, S.C. to participate in a cockfighting derby. Participants paid $400 to enter four birds into the derby. Some participants, including Curry, put multiple entries into the derby that day. Once birds were weighed, organizers used a software program to match the birds into fights. Participants then attached metal gaffes to their birds’ ankles prior to having them fight.
While the cockfighting derby was taking place, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office received a tip and responded to the scene. Officers searched the property and found a barrel containing birds that had been killed in the fights that had taken place so far that day. They also seized numerous bird transport boxes, metal gaffes and spurs and other items used by participants. Seven participants in the cockfighting derby, including Curry and Limehouse, were later indicted in United States District Court for their respective roles in the derby. The other six defendants pled guilty prior to Curry’s trial.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks presided over the trial and will sentence Curry after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office. Curry faces up to five years imprisonment. He has a previous state court conviction for cockfighting in 2010.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) and the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.
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2023 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Winners AnnouncedRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA –The United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation, hosted the 40th Anniversary of the annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon today at the Ft. Jackson NCO Club in Columbia, South Carolina. Approximately 200 state, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across the state attended the awards luncheon to honor these officers and hear from Governor Henry McMaster, the keynote speaker. The awards began in 1983 and McMaster was the first United States Attorney to co-host these awards.
The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2023 awards:
City – Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department
County – Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office
Federal – Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration
State – Colonel Christopher Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state.
“These individuals embody the integrity and excellence of our law enforcement community,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “I am pleased to honor each of them today as we express our gratitude for their service to their communities and the state of South Carolina.”
City Recipient
Chief Amy S. Prock, Myrtle Beach Police Department
Amy Prock is the Chief of Police for the Myrtle Beach Police Department. She has served the department since 1996 and has been assigned to several different positions all throughout the department, to include the Patrol Division, Special Operations Division, Administrative Division, and the Investigative Division. During her 27 years of service, the positions she filled have provided her the opportunity to serve the Myrtle Beach community from the waterfront, to Street Crimes, to Narcotics, to Traffic, Patrol, Detectives, Regulatory and several others. She has been a member of the Critical Incident Negotiations Team, attended the FBI’s National Academy, the Administrative Officers Management Program at NC State and many other leadership and specialty trainings in law enforcement. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University in Radford, Virginia and her Master’s Degree in Psychology is from Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina.
Throughout Chief Prock’s time with the department, her focus continues to be on working with the Myrtle Beach community, team development, team leadership, and implementation of technology, such as NIBIN. She is motivated by the opportunity to make a difference. Her favorite motto is “Public safety is a shared responsibility.” What she enjoys most about being the Chief of Police is making a difference within the community she serves and working together with her community and with the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the City of Myrtle Beach to accomplish this. She believes that goals can always be met by working together and communicating.
County Recipient
Captain Eric Abdullah, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Eric Abdullah began his South Carolina law enforcement career in 2003 when he joined the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. Captain Abdullah has served in many roles, including Patrol Deputy, Corporal, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and SWAT Team Commander. In 2013, he was appointed Captain over the Special Operations Division and Public Information Officer. In 2022, he also assumed command of the Uniformed Patrol Division.
“He has done an outstanding job throughout the years building relationships with internal and external stakeholders by working harder than anyone I know and always models the way of a law enforcement professional,” said Sheriff Michael Hunt. Lt. Tyler Roberts of Aiken County Sheriff’s Office contributes Captain Abdullah’s leadership model from one of his quotes—“Take care of your people, your people will take care of you and the mission in turn will take care of itself.”
Captain Abdullah earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree from Colorado Technical University, is a graduate of 2008-2009 Leadership Aiken County, and a graduate of the 239th session of the FBI National Academy. He maintains and holds multiple instructor certifications through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and serves as a board member for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association. Captain Abdullah served 22 years in the United States Army, both active and reserves, before retiring in 2015. He also has served for 12 years as an Adjunct Instructor for the criminal justice program at Aiken Technical College.
Captain Abdullah and his wife Jessica have a blended family of 4 adult children and 2 grandchildren.
Federal Recipient
Special Agent Adam R. Hardin, Drug Enforcement Administration
Adam Hardin has a combined 29 years of law enforcement and military experience. Prior to joining DEA, he served eight years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and in the South Carolina Army National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst assigned to the South Carolina Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force. As an intelligence analyst with the Governor’s Counter Drug Task Force, Hardin was assigned to DEA, the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and worked on several high profile OCDETF Title III wiretap investigations.
In 2003, Hardin became a DEA Diversion Investigator, where he conducted investigations of individuals responsible for the diversion of controlled substances into the illicit market. He led an extensive investigation into the diversion of controlled substances by the leader and organizer of the largest pharmaceutical drug organization ever identified at that time in the upstate region of South Carolina. The investigation led to the conviction of 32 individuals. In 2008, Hardin became a DEA Special Agent assigned to the Atlanta-Carolina High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) group. Currently, he is the lead case agent of an OCDETF international money laundering investigation, which he and his partners from HSI initiated with the Sumter County Sheriff's Department. The investigation spans the United States, Mexico, South America, and Europe. To date, it has resulted in 9 arrests and the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl and other drugs, as well as the seizure of multiple business bank accounts.
“Agent Hardin is an example of the best that a law enforcement officer can and should be--capable, honorable, intelligent, driven, hard-working and completely dedicated to the mission while maintaining the highest ethical standards,” said Jason Peavy, a criminal defense attorney and former Deputy Criminal Chief at the United States Attorney’s Office.
State Recipient
Colonel Christopher N. Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol
Colonel Christopher N. Williamson is a 37-year law enforcement veteran from Darlington, South Carolina. He began his law enforcement career as a deputy in his hometown, but over the past 35 years has ascended the ranks of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. In 2017, he became the first African American to hold the position of commander of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, where he leads nearly 1,000 sworn and civilian personnel in innovative policing efforts, utilizing technology to pinpoint enforcement areas of concern and placing a strong emphasis on employee wellness and community outreach. He played a significant role in fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities it serves, particularly during periods of civil unrest. When COVID-19 completely changed our way of life, the Highway Patrol adapted to ensure that troopers and support staff could continue to do their jobs and carry out the mission of the Highway Patrol.
Colonel Williamson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Police Science from Fayetteville State University, as well as a Master’s degree in Clinical and Behavioral Counseling from Webster University. In 2021, the South Carolina General Assembly commemorated his accomplishments by designating a portion of Society Hill Road in Darlington County as “Colonel Christopher N. Williamson Road.” He and his wife Deloris have two daughters, Krissy and Daysha, two granddaughters, Kristina and Kailyn, and one grandson, Logan.
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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Interstate Domestic Violence Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Lawrence Joseph Florentine, 56, of Rock Hill, pleaded guilty in federal court to interstate domestic violence resulting in death, use of a firearm during a crime of violence to cause death, obstruction of justice, and use of fire during the commission of a felony.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Florentine married Nicole Zahnd Florentine in 2018. Video and audio recordings and the personal observations of Nicole’s family show the relationship was volatile. Beginning in December 2019, law enforcement in York County, where the couple resided, responded to multiple calls made by Nicole for emergency assistance. She reported that Florentine physically abused her and threatened to kill her, burn her, and bury her.
Florentine was arrested twice on domestic violence charges – one of which was dismissed, at least in part, at Nicole’s request before her death. On May 23, 2020, the couple’s Rock Hill home was destroyed by fire. Text messages and photographs Florentine sent to Nicole during the fire show that he intentionally burned her belongings and intentionally set the property on fire. Florentine is charged with arson in state court in connection with the fire.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that Nicole and Florentine were traveling by car together in North and South Carolina at least from June 2 to on or around June 11, 2020. Nicole and Florentine were last known to be together in Piedmont, South Carolina, from June 7 to on or about June 10, 2020. No calls to police or for emergency assistance were made by Florentine during this time.
Before the road trip, Nicole regularly communicated with her grandmother. When her grandmother stopped hearing from Nicole, she filed a missing person report.
On June 13, 2020, a groundskeeper for Hill Cemetery in Fredonia, Kentucky, discovered what appeared to him to be a makeshift grave. Officers with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police responded and recovered a partially charred female body from the shallow grave. A gas can was recovered from behind a tree near the burial site. No identification, cell phone, or other personal belongings were found. An autopsy identified the body as that of Nicole, that the manner of death was homicide, and the cause of death was a .22 caliber bullet wound to the head.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a car matching the description of Florentine’s car around the cemetery before the body was discovered on June 13. A local hardware store clerk identified sale transactions on June 11, 2020, for a shovel and a gas can identical to the can found at the cemetery by a customer who matched Florentine’s description. Surveillance camera footage from a nearby gas station shows Florentine filling the gas can a short time later. Gasoline is commonly used as a fire accelerant.
No firearm was found; however, police recovered a lighter and .22 caliber cartridges in the center console and located Nicole’s blood on the rear exterior of Florentine’s abandoned car.
Sometime after June 11, 2020, Florentine fled Kentucky and arrived in Denver, Colorado. On June 23, 2020, he surrendered to the Denver Police.
This plea comes during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Although domestic violence is primarily a matter of state and local jurisdiction, federal laws provide tools for prosecuting domestic violence offenders in certain situations involving firearms and interstate travel or activity. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors. The US Attorney’s Office encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to reach out for help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
“Domestic violence affects our community in a deep and enduring way,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for South Carolina have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice. May we honor Nicole’s memory as we work to address and prevent future domestic violence.”
Florentine faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and eight years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Florentine after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Kentucky State Police, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, York County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Hill Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leesa Washington and Benjamin Garner are prosecuting the case.
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Four South Carolina Prosecutors Receive Awards for Excellence from the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. BoroughsRead the Press Release
MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA – United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Adair F. Boroughs, recognized four South Carolina Prosecutors for their distinguished achievements during the opening night of the 2023 South Carolina Solicitors’ Annual Conference, which took place in October 8-11, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Boroughs presented four categories of awards: the 2023 General Sessions Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Eleventh Circuit Deputy Solicitor Rhonda W. Patterson; the 2023 South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Senior Assistant Attorney General Tracy Meyers; the 2023 Family Court Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in State Prosecution to Twelfth Circuit Assistant Solicitor Stephen Hill; and the 2023 John R. Justice Community Leadership Award to Fifth Circuit Assistant Solicitor, and the late Prosecutor John R. Justice’s daughter, Ivy Justice.
The Ernest F. Hollings Awards for Excellence in State Prosecution were conceived in 1996 and begun in 1997 as a means for federal prosecutors to take the lead in publicly recognizing their state court colleagues who generally have to do much more with much less. As Chairman of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, then United States Attorney J. René Josey enlisted the support of United States Senator Ernest F. Hollings to make the awards a reality. As a former Charleston prosecutor and longtime legislative supporter of law enforcement, Senator Hollings was more than willing to lend his aid. The Senator Hollings awards are presented annually to recognize an Assistant Solicitor in each of the following categories: (1) excellence in prosecution in the Court of General Sessions; and/or (2) excellence in prosecution in the Family Courts. In 2006, a third category was added to recognize an Assistant Attorney General.
Established in 2012, the John R. Justice Community Leadership Award is presented annually by the U.S. Attorney. Nominations are received from the U.S. Attorney, elected Solicitors, the Executive Director of the S.C. Commission on Prosecution Coordination, past elected Solicitors, or past recipients of the award. The award is presented at the annual Solicitor’s conference to an Assistant Solicitor who has exhibited exemplary citizenship and/or implementation of innovative solutions to advance public safety and improve the quality of the lives of members of his or her community. The award was named for Solicitor John R. Justice who over a period of decades honored and served both the criminal justice system and his community. The John R. Justice Community Leadership Award recognizes that community involvement, citizenship, and innovative ideas serve to advance public safety and the criminal justice system.
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Over 29,000 South Carolina Students to Participate in State’s 22nd Annual National Day of Concern & Student Pledge Against Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA ---- United States Attorney, Adair F. Boroughs, stated that tomorrow, Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), along with their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will support schools across the state as they participate in South Carolina’s 22nd Annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence. With a focus on keeping our schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are making a similar commitment—pledging that if they see a gun, they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.
The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversations about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at www.pledge.org.
As it has done since 2002, the USAO reached out to all South Carolina law enforcement agencies and schools to make the pledges available to interested schools. The pledge effort is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The following South Carolina schools and law enforcement agencies are participating in this year’s pledge. For information on events scheduled for a particular school, please contact the respective school or local law enforcement agency.
Participating Law Enforcement Agencies
Allendale Sheriff’s Department
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department
Cayce Police Department
Central Police Department
Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
Chester County Sheriff’s Office
Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office
City of York Police Department
Columbia Police Department
Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office
Easley Police Department
Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office
First Circuit Solicitor’s Office
Georgetown Police Department
Greenville Police Department
Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office
Hampton County Sheriff’s Department
Landrum Police Department
Lexington County Sheriff’s Department
Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Myrtle Beach Police Department
North Myrtle Beach Police Department
Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department
Richland County Sheriff’s Department
St. George Police Department
Sumter County Sheriff’s Office
Town of Lexington Police Department
West Columbia Police Department
Participating Schools
Alcorn Middle School
Allendale-Fairfax High School
American Leadership Academy
Barnwell High School
Battery Creek High School
Beech Hill Elementary School
Bonds MSAP
Brookdale Elementary School
Brookland Cayce High School
C. A. Johnson High School
Cayce Elementary School
Central Academy of the Arts
Cheraw Intermediate School
Chester Senior High School
Chester Middle School
Chester Park Elementary Inquiry
Chester Park Elementary Colt
Chester Park Elementary Arts
Chester County Career Center
Chicora Elementary School
Creek Bridge Stem Academy
Denmark-Olar Elementary School
Donaldson MSAP
Eau Claire High School
Ebenezer Middle School
Edwards Elementary School
Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science
Fairfield Middle School
Forest Heights Elementary School
Forest Lake Elementary NASA Explorer School
Georgetown Middle School
Greg Mathis Charter High School
Great Falls High School
Great Falls Elementary School
H. B. Rhame Elementary School
Hammond Hill Elementary School
Hampton County High School
Hand Middle School
Heyward Gibbes Middle School
High Hills Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School
Lewisville High School
Lewisville Middle School
Lewisville Elementary School
Lexington Elementary School
Lexington High School
Logan Elementary School
McBee Elementary School
McBee High School
McCrorey-Liston School of Technology
McKissick Academy of Science and Technology
Marion High School
Memminger Elementary School
Midlands Technical College
Myrtle Beach Middle School
New Prospect Elementary School
Ocean Drive Elementary School
Pageland Elementary School
Pendergrass Fairwold High School
Plainview Elementary School
Ridge View High School
Ruby Elementary School
Sandlapper Elementary School
Septima P. Clarke Academy
St. George Middle School
St. John's High School
Sterling Academy
Swansea Freshman Academy
The Learning Center Elementary School
The Learning Center Middle School
Turning Point Academy
W. A. Perry Middle School
W. G. Sanders Middle School
Ware Shoals Middle School
Whittaker Elementary School
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Staged Reading of the Laramie Project Set for October 17 and 18Read the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina School of Law, the Richland County Bar Association, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina are proud to present a staged reading of The Laramie Project, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder. Directed by Abigail Lee McNeely and featuring actors from the community and the University of South Carolina, the staged reading will take place in the Karen Williams Courtroom at the University of South Carolina School of Law on Oct. 17 and 18 at 7:00 p.m.
The Laramie Project, written by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project, is a documentary play written in the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's death. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Shepard, who succumbed to injuries after a violent hate crime committed against him. Shepard was a gay student who attended the University of Wyoming when he was beaten and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming in Oct. 1998. Through the voices of those who lived in Laramie, Wyoming, the play offers a thought-provoking reflection on the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society.
Performing in the show are University of South Carolina students Gracie Auld, Bradley Gittens, Avery Williams, and Griffin Wilson, as well as Columbia theatre locals Julian Deleon, Ezri Fender, Mary Jeffcoat, and Ripley Thames. The cast of eight will perform over 40 different characters, including Laramie locals and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project.
Director Abigail Lee McNeely, a 2017 alumna of South Carolina’s Department of Theatre and Dance and staff member at Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, expressed her enthusiasm. "We are honored to bring The Laramie Project to the University of South Carolina School of Law. This production serves as a tribute to Matthew Shepard's memory and begs us to ask the question of what more can we do to prevent acts of hate against the LGBTQ+ in our community." Joining McNeely is associate director and dramaturg Elizabeth Houck-Zozaya.
The show is produced by theatre artist and University of South Carolina adjunct professor Patrick Michael Kelly. Citing the collaboration between local organizations, actors and artists from Columbia’s theatre community, and the involvement of various law organizations, Kelly calls the production “a true community effort, fitting for a play about community and how it bands together in a time of tragedy.”
This special production is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said, “Out of the senseless beating death of Matthew Shepard came the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Enforcing this hate crimes law and other civil rights protections is central to the mission of the Department of Justice. Through the nationwide Department of Justice initiative, United Against Hate, and working with the USC School of Law and the Richland County Bar Association, our goal in offering this production is to foster dialogue in the community and promote tolerance, which aligns with the themes of The Laramie Project. More practically, our goal is to improve reporting of hate crimes by teaching community members how to identify, report, and, most importantly, prevent acts of hate.”
U.S. Attorney Boroughs will be moderating a talkback between the audience and a panel of subject matter experts and actors after each show. Audience members are encouraged to stay after the show to engage in conversation with these community leaders and creatives from the production.
The Laramie Project is a testament to the enduring power of theatre that invites audiences to reflect on the impact of Shepard's death and the importance of tolerance and understanding in civil society. This special event has only two performances. For more information about the production and to reserve your free tickets, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
Event Details:
Date: Oct. 17 and 18, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Karen Williams Courtroom, University of South Carolina School of Law
Admission: FREE to the public, registration required at https://forms.office.com/r/YERBhJTbQF.
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Myrtle Beach Woman is Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute over 400 Grams of FentanylRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Kelly Brosky, 44, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to more than six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2021, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a possible clandestine pill pressing operation out of Myrtle Beach after learning that multiple pill press machines were sent to Brosky’s and her codefendant’s home. Law enforcement conducted surveillance operations, which led to them executing a search warrant at the home on March 9, 2022.
Agents seized over 6,000 pills, approximately $293,000 in cash, and other valuables. Financial records showed that Brosky and her co-conspirators transferred thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to and from their Cash App accounts.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson sentenced Brosky to 78 months in prison to be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation was a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Horry County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
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West Columbia Gang Member Sentenced to over 12 Years for Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Darius Antonio Pugh, age 36, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 12 ½ years (151 months) in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to two counts of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a quantity of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine), and a quantity of cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of August 14, 2020, a Charleston County deputy conducted a traffic stop of a speeding vehicle. Pugh, the driver, was in the vehicle with a female friend. As the deputy was speaking with Pugh, he saw loose “shake” (marijuana) inside the vehicle, which gave the deputy probable cause to search the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, deputies recovered a small baggie of cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun. Pugh, who was out on a state bond from Lexington County for a shooting, was arrested on new state charges and thereafter made another state bond.
Thereafter, while out on state bond for the Charleston incident and state supervised release for discharging a firearm into a dwelling charges, Pugh, a gang member, was involved in a high speed chase with Richland County deputies. Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of April 9, 2022, Richland County deputies responded to a home invasion in progress in Northeast Columbia. Enroute, deputies received information that the suspect fled in an older model Expedition. While responding to the call, a deputy encountered an older model Expedition fitting the general description in the area. The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop of the Expedition based upon improper vehicle tags. As the deputy turned on his blue lights and siren, the Expedition fled from Killian Road onto 1-77 with speeds in excess of 100mph. The chase continued for some time and ultimately stopped within the Colony apartment complex, after the Expedition struck a parked vehicle as it attempted to make a turn at a high rate of speed. Pugh ran from the vehicle and was apprehended by deputies. Inside a bag that Pugh had, deputies found a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and clear bags of methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine. A search of Pugh’s Expedition uncovered another loaded 9mm handgun, along with a jar of marijuana and a digital scale. Both handguns were reported stolen in Charlotte. It was determined that Pugh was not the suspect involved in the home invasion and that his Expedition was not the Expedition the home invasion victim said left the scene.
Pugh is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior state convictions, which include possession of cocaine, possession of other controlled substance, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature (two separate convictions), possession of stolen motor vehicle, distribution of heroin, distribution of fentanyl, failure to stop for blue light and siren, and discharging firearms into dwelling.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Pugh to 151 months imprisonment, which will be followed by eight years of federal supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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US Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina introduces new Public Affairs SpecialistRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs is pleased to announce the arrival of Veronica Hill as the office’s Public Affairs Specialist and media contact. A seasoned communications professional, Veronica brings with her a wealth of energy, creativity, and collaborative experience.
Veronica joins the U.S. Attorney’s Office after serving as a public information officer for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Originally from Kansas, Veronica has worked in the fields of journalism, non-profit community engagement, and law enforcement. She has a passion for developing mission-driven communication strategies and public information campaigns. She has a broad media and marketing portfolio including experience coordinating national media coverage, managing TV/docuseries appearances, and social media content creation. Veronica holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication and a master’s degree in theology.
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Two from Lexington Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Weapon ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Caleb York Rowell, age 30, of Swansea, South Carolina, and Brandi Leann Clarke, a/k/a “Brandi Savage,” age 26, of Gaston, South Carolina, were both sentenced today in federal court for their roles in a drug conspiracy where they sold firearms and drugs to confidential informants and undercover agents in the summer of 2021. Rowell was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Clark was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Rowell’s drug distribution in May of 2021. During a recorded call with a confidential informant on May 11, 2021, Rowell bragged about running away from a traffic stop the day before that resulted in a wreck and how officers found his drugs and gun. ATF confirmed that the day before, May 10, 2021, Gaston Police Department had been in a car chase after they attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. That chase culminated in the driver wrecking the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Along the route where the driver fled, officers were able to locate a fanny pack containing bags of heroin and fentanyl and nearby they found a stolen pistol. Through the recorded call and witnesses at the scene, officers were then able to identify Rowell, who was wearing a state court ankle monitor, as the driver who fled from the scene and discarded the drugs and firearm.
Thereafter, between May and July 2021, law enforcement made a series of undercover purchases of firearms, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rowell and Clark, Rowell’s girlfriend. One of the firearms sold by Rowell to the undercover agent was an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Both Rowell and Clark admitted knowing the drugs contained fentanyl and during one transaction, Clark boasted about the quality of the drugs to the undercover agent. Additionally, the investigation revealed that Rowell was a member of a gang, although he disputed membership.
Both Rowell and Clark are prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony convictions in state court. Rowell has prior state convictions for criminal domestic violence, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, failure to stop for blue light and siren, driving under suspension 3rd offense, and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Clark has two prior state convictions for possession of methamphetamine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Rowell to a total of 292 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision and a $500 special assessment fee. Clark was sentenced to a total of 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision with a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system. In sentencing the defendants, the court noted the seriousness of the offense, especially since it involved fentanyl, which has shown to be deadly, and noted, “I take all my cases seriously, but when fentanyl is involved, the need to protect the public is critical.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) with assistance of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, Gaston Police Department, Swansea Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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