District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Join Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers for a Press Conference Tomorrow, September 2, in Kingstree at 11:30 a.m.Read the Press Release
Kingstree, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, September 2, 2020, at 11:30 a.m., in the City Council Chambers of the Williamsburg County Public Service Administration (PSA) Building at 201 West Main Street, Kingstree, South Carolina 29556.
Represented at the press conference will be the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); the United States Postal Inspection Service; the 3rd Circuit Solicitor’s Office; and the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office.
WHEN: Tomorrow, September 2, in Kingstree at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: City Council Chambers of the Williamsburg County Public Service
Administration (PSA) Building
201 West Main Street
Kingstree, South Carolina 29556
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982. Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the City Council Chambers of the Williamsburg County Public Service Administration (PSA) Building at 11:00 a.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Rock Hill Men Sentenced to More than 20 Total Years in Federal Prison on Drug and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Brandon Marquis Kimble, 30, and Cravelyn Squilla Davis, 25, both of Rock Hill, were sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Kimble was sentenced to 11 years, and Davis was sentenced to 12 years.
Evidence presented to the court showed that this case stemmed from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Rock Hill Police Department into individuals who were obtaining large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana from a distributor in Southern California. Some of these individuals were flying to California and shipping the drugs back to the Rock Hill area, including Charlotte, N.C. Kimble and Davis were a part of this organization, which later began to obtain fentanyl and began to press fake prescription pills that were sold on the streets.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Kimble to 132 months in federal prison and Davis to 144 months in federal prison, with both sentences to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Rock Hill Police Department, and York County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, T. DeWayne Pearson, and Elliott B. Daniels, all of the Columbia office, prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Lexington Woman Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Candice Johnson Dooley, 40, of Lexington, was sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
Evidence presented in court established that on December 21, 2018, deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to Dooley’s residence in search of a fugitive. Dooley allowed law enforcement to look inside the residence, and upon entering, they observed drug paraphernalia in plain view. Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant on the residence and located approximately 241 grams of methamphetamine, approximately two grams of cocaine, baggies commonly used to package drugs for individual sales, and digital scales. Dooley admitted to possessing the drugs and making drug sales.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Dooley to 70 months in federal prison, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the 11th Judicial Circuit, prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former Horry County IT Security Director Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Theft of More than $340,000 in Government FundsRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Terry Shawn Petrill, 48, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay back more than $340,000 after pleading guilty to theft of federal funds.
“Those who steal from our local governments are raiding the South Carolina taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This is unacceptable, and as this case shows we will seek prison time and restitution against those who engage in such theft. I appreciate the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners and government officials in Horry County who provided critical assistance in this case.”
Evidence presented to the court showed that beginning on June 11, 2015, through August 23, 2018, Petrill ordered forty-one Cisco 3850 network switches that were to be installed on the Horry County network. During this time period, Horry County received federal program funding. When the switches would arrive, Petrill advised that he would handle the installation. Petrill did not install the switches on the network and instead sold them to third parties and kept the proceeds for himself. Petrill sold several of the switches on eBay and other third-party websites. Petrill’s actions caused a loss to Horry County of $345,265.57. A spokesperson for Horry County noted that although the situation was unfortunate, the process worked, justice was served, and Horry County was thankful to their federal partners for their help in investigating and prosecuting the case.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Petrill to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), assisted by the Horry County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Anderson County Husband and Wife Among Five Indicted on Child Sex Trafficking and Production of Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Gary Garland, Shannon Garland, Johnnie Wells, Michael Skelton, and Duwone Allen, all of Anderson, were arrested on a multi-count federal indictment charging violations of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and production of child pornography.
“Child sex trafficking is one of the most offensive and reprehensible crimes possible,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Sadly, many of the victims and offenders are hidden in plain sight. With support from our federal, state, and local partners, this office will find those who engage in all forms of human trafficking and bring them to justice. This includes those who patronize these victims. We will also continue to work with support groups here in our community to ensure these victims receive the services they need.”
“Sex trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, and these cases are a top priority for HSI investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charlotte Ronnie Martinez. “HSI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to find and prosecute criminal traffickers while ensuring the victims of these terrible crimes are rescued and get the care they need.”
“These are heinous allegations, and this case would not have been possible without the coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement departments,” said U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Griffin, Jr. “Any crime against a child is horrific and the United States Marshals Service will utilize any and all available resources so we can bring these offenders to justice.”
The ten-count indictment alleges human trafficking and child pornography violations against the Defendants beginning last year in South Carolina. According to the indictment, the Defendants would advertise and transport at least two minors for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts, and the Garlands would produce visual depictions of the minors.
This case is being investigated by HSI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carrie Fisher Sherard and Winston Marosek of the Greenville office. The United States Marshals Service assisted in the arrest of the offenders.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations at this stage and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charges for Defrauding the North and South Carolina Medicaid ProgramsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Markuetric Stringfellow, 37, of Powder Springs, Georgia, appeared in court today and pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges filed in the U.S. District Courts in North and South Carolina, for defrauding the states’ Medicaid programs, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer presided over today’s plea hearing.
The North Carolina Scheme
According to filed plea documents and today’s plea hearing, Stringfellow was a resident of Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina, and a partner in Everlasting Vitality, LLC (EV) and Do-It-4-The Hood Corporation (D4H). D4H operated after-school programs in Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Rocky-Mount, North Carolina, among others. Beginning in or about January 7, 2016, and continuing through November 12, 2018, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators executed a conspiracy to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program by soliciting illegal kickbacks from various drug testing laboratories, in exchange for referrals of North Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries obtained through the after-school programs operated by EV and D4H.
According to court documents, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators paid individuals to recruit at-risk youths, in particular children who were Medicaid eligible, for EV’s or D4H’s after-school and youth mentoring programs. Once enrolled, children were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing. Stringfellow and his co-conspirators conspired with certain laboratories to perform the drug testing of the urine specimens submitted in the names of children enrolled at EV and D4H, and received kickbacks after the laboratories were reimbursed by the North Carolina Medicaid.
In addition to the kickback scheme, Stringfellow and his conspirators devised a scheme to defraud North Carolina Medicaid by referring clients to laboratories which they knew would file fraudulent claims and receive reimbursement based on drug testing services that did not meet the drug testing policy requirements. For example, on some occasions, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information (PII) of D4H clients, such as names, addresses, dates of birth, and Medicaid beneficiary numbers, which they provided to drug testing laboratories. In turn, the laboratories used D4H clients’ PII to submit drug testing claims to the North Carolina Medicaid that were fraudulent because, among other reasons, the drug tests were not medically necessary, or the urine specimens were not of the Medicaid beneficiaries under whose names they were submitted. Once North Carolina Medicaid paid the fraudulent claims submitted by the testing laboratories for these unauthorized and medically unnecessary drug tests, the labs then paid companies under the control of Stringfellow and others, at an agreed percentage of their Medicaid reimbursement.
The South Carolina Scheme
In addition to executing a fraudulent scheme in North Carolina, Stringfellow has admitted to defrauding the South Carolina Medicaid program. According to the bill of information and documents filed with the U.S. District Court in South Carolina, Stringfellow was a franchise owner of Wrights Care Services LLC (Wrights Care), a qualified provider of Medicaid rehabilitative behavioral health services in South Carolina. Wrights Care was located at 1320 Main Street, in Columbia, South Carolina, and maintained separate franchise locations throughout South Carolina, including in Spartanburg, Pickens, Cheraw, Society Hill, Bennettsville, Hartsville, and Conway. In April 2014, Wrights Care became a participating provider in the South Carolina Medicaid program, which allowed Wrights Care to submit claims for behavioral mentoring services reimbursable under Medicaid.
Starting in or around 2014, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators defrauded the South Carolina Medicaid program by filing fraudulent claims for services that were either not provided, partially provided, or did not qualify for reimbursement. According to court records, to support the fraudulent reimbursement claims filed with the South Carolina Medicaid, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators submitted falsified patient billing records and fake medical notes. Furthermore, court records show that after learning there was a Medicaid audit for Wrights Care, Stringfellow and his co-conspirators attempted to deceive South Carolina Medicaid auditors. In or about March 2015, Stringfellow met other associates of Wrights Care in Columbia for a “note party,” during which the co-conspirators created false and fraudulent billing records to substantiate previously-submitted fraudulent Medicaid claims, forged signatures, and falsified records subject to the audit, which they then submitted to South Carolina Medicaid auditors in response to the audit.
Stringfellow pleaded guilty today to two counts of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud. The South Carolina case will be transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Each conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date for Stringfellow has not been set.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray and U.S. Attorney McCoy commended the investigative work of the FBI field offices in Charlotte, Columbia and Atlanta, and the Medicaid Investigation Divisions in Raleigh, Columbia and Atlanta, and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia for their assistance and coordination.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Savage in Charlotte and Brook Andrews in Columbia are prosecuting the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
South Carolina Couple Pleaded Guilty to Scheme Involving Conspiracy and False Statements to Illegally Obtain a U.S. PassportRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Huger, South Carolina couple pleaded guilty today in South Carolina before the U.S. District Judge Brucie H. Hendricks in the District of South Carolina to charges stemming from their conspiracy to obtain a U.S. passport by falsely claiming they were the biological parents of a baby born in the Philippines and by using false birth records to apply for a U.S. passport for the baby.
Gerald Vincent Locker Jr., 46, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and Stephanie Jean Locker, 43, pleaded to one count of conspiracy and one count of making false statements in an application for passport.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy of the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
According to the court record, in 2014, Gerald Locker Jr., a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, was stationed in Japan with his dependent spouse, Stephanie Jean Locker. While in Japan, the couple attempted to circumvent legal adoption processes by asserting that a baby from the Philippines was their own natural born child. Presenting a number of falsified documents (including a false birth certificate) to a U.S. Consular Officer, Stephanie Locker applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. She falsely attested, in support of her application for a passport for the child, that while in the Philippines on vacation she learned she was pregnant five days before the baby was born. Upon learning they would have to submit to DNA testing, the Lockers ultimately abandoned the baby, leaving the child in the care of a local family in the Philippines. The child was later placed with a foster family in the Philippines.
This case was investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Secor of the District of South Carolina.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
South Carolina Couple Pleaded Guilty to Scheme Involving Conspiracy and False Statements to Illegally Obtain a U.S. PassportRead the Press Release
A Huger, South Carolina couple pleaded guilty today in South Carolina before the U.S. District Judge Brucie H. Hendricks in the District of South Carolina to charges stemming from their conspiracy to obtain a U.S. passport by falsely claiming they were the biological parents of a baby born in the Philippines and by using false birth records to apply for a U.S. passport for the baby.
Gerald Vincent Locker Jr., 46, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and Stephanie Jean Locker, 43, pleaded to one count of conspiracy and one count of making false statements in an application for passport.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy of the District of South Carolina made the announcement.
According to the court record, in 2014, Gerald Locker Jr., a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, was stationed in Japan with his dependent spouse, Stephanie Jean Locker. While in Japan, the couple attempted to circumvent legal adoption processes by asserting that a baby from the Philippines was their own natural born child. Presenting a number of falsified documents (including a false birth certificate) to a U.S. Consular Officer, Stephanie Locker applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. She falsely attested, in support of her application for a passport for the child, that while in the Philippines on vacation she learned she was pregnant five days before the baby was born. Upon learning they would have to submit to DNA testing, the Lockers ultimately abandoned the baby, leaving the child in the care of a local family in the Philippines. The child was later placed with a foster family in the Philippines.
This case was investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Secor of the District of South Carolina.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm and Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that John Francis Donohue, 40, of Lexington, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and to distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence presented in court established that on June 5, 2018, deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, along with agents from South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, went to a Lexington County residence to locate Donohue, who had outstanding warrants. During Donohue’s arrest, deputies noticed gun holsters on the floor of his bedroom and ultimately recovered three firearms and assorted ammunition belonging to Donohue, who admitted to possessing them while on state probation.
Further evidence presented in court established that Donohue was also being investigated for drug activities by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and deputies from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. On January 22, 2019, Donohue, while armed with a firearm, distributed methamphetamine to an undercover agent and confidential informant. This was one of many documented occasions where Donohue was armed during his drug-dealing activities. Additionally, during several of the transactions, Donohue sold firearms to the undercover agent and confidential informant.
Information presented to the court showed that Donohue was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon prior convictions for criminal domestic violence and drug-related crimes. Specifically, Donohue was convicted of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in Lexington County in April 2013 and sentenced to seven and a half years suspended upon two years of probation. One month after being placed on probation, Donohue was arrested and later convicted of shoplifting. Five months after that, while still on state probation, Donohue was arrested for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Lexington County, and was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 15 years suspended upon two days’ time served and five years of probation. Less than one year later, Donohue was again arrested in Lexington County for distribution of methamphetamine and was convicted in April 2016 and sentenced to 25 years suspended upon five years of probation. Donohue was on that probation when deputies arrested him on the outstanding warrants and found him in possession of three firearms and assorted ammunition in June 2018.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Donohue to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the 11th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Blythewood Man Arrested and Charged with Nine Counts of Human Trafficking and Three Counts of Narcotics ViolationsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Brian Leroy Watson, Jr., a/k/a “B,” a/k/a “Lil B,” 48, of Blythewood, was arrested on a federal indictment charging nine counts of human trafficking and attempted human trafficking and three counts of drug-related violations. The arrest and charges are a result of a collaborative effort among the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.
“While the record in this case speaks for itself, human trafficking is an egregious crime that often targets the most vulnerable among us for the profit of another,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “It is a dark reality even here in South Carolina, and this office will not tolerate it. That is why we work not only with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute those who exploit others, but with support groups within the community that offer support services to human trafficking victims and educate the public about this unconscionable practice.”
"Operations like these result in the release of human trafficking victims from their horrifying bondage," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris. "The FBI thanks the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. We ask that anyone with information about human trafficking contact the FBI or their local law enforcement office."
“Human Sex Trafficking is a reality in our community,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. “Working in partnership with other law enforcement agencies and most important, the community, is the key to stopping this horrible crime.”
“We are very thankful for the teamwork of our federal partners in keeping our community safe,” said Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan. “As a reminder to parents, kidnapping is not always involved in human trafficking cases. Victims can be coerced into human trafficking by their dependency of basic needs or addiction to drugs. Holding your child close to you while in a crowded place is not always as important as knowing what your child does when they are away from you.”
The 12-count indictment alleges human trafficking violations against Watson as to multiple victims between 2016 and 2019 in South Carolina. The indictment also charges Watson with distributing heroin and fentanyl, and with unlawfully operating a Blythewood dwelling for the purpose of storing and distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Watson was arrested on August 20, 2020, and had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges at the Matthew J. Perry Courthouse in Columbia.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia Office.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations at this stage and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know may have information relevant to this investigation, please call FBI-Columbia at 803-551-4200.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Thirteen Sentenced in Multi-State Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy to 145 Combined Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Fernando Lara, 45, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, marking the thirteenth and final defendant to be sentenced in a large methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Georgia and the Upstate region of South Carolina. The sentences, which total 145 years in federal prison, come after twelve guilty pleas and Lara’s conviction at trial.
“These armed drug dealers posed a serious threat to the people of South Carolina and Georgia, which is reflected in the more than a century of federal prison time imposed,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Along with our federal, state, and local partners we brought this criminal enterprise to an end and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who endanger their communities.”
“Methamphetamine continues to ravage many communities in our nation,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy. “Because of the positive results yielded in this case, other methamphetamine manufacturers in the upstate of South Carolina and elsewhere should be put on notice that DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate their continued efforts to manufacture and distribute this insidious drug.”
“Cases like this have an immediate and positive impact on the community,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Vince Pallozzi. “A substantial number of firearms have been recovered, a large amount of narcotics seized and taken off the streets, and, most important, numerous individuals that threatened our communities are now in prison. This is a collaborative win for public safety.”
Evidence presented at Lara’s trial established that he was a methamphetamine trafficker from Georgia who would sell pure methamphetamine in kilogram quantities to a co-defendant, Angela G. Skelton, 41, of Starr, who would bring the methamphetamine back into the Upstate region of South Carolina for distribution. Lara would often offer a better price on methamphetamine in exchange for firearms from Skelton. On January 16, 2019, Lara and Skelton were pulled over on Interstate 85 in Anderson County with approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine and a loaded pistol in the vehicle.
As to the other co-defendants, evidence presented to the court established that beginning in or around August 2017, co-defendant Briand F. Zapata-Rodriguez, 45, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, would transport kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from around Atlanta into the Upstate region of South Carolina, primarily into Anderson and Abbeville Counties. Zapata-Rodriguez would then use a network of runners and distributors to break up and distribute the methamphetamine throughout the Upstate. Several of the traffickers illegally possessed firearms and ammunition during the course of their drug trafficking activity. During the course of the investigation, agents seized over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, 36 firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and more than $157,000 in cash. Evidence presented to the court indicated that this drug trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of over 214 kilograms of methamphetamine during its time operating in Georgia and South Carolina.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., presided over the case. In addition to Lara’s 300-month sentence, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision, the following Defendants were sentenced in the case:
- Skelton: 52 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Zapata-Rodriguez: 280 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Christopher C. Presley, 29, of Honea Path: 145 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Jonathan E. Gilmer, 37, of Starr: 360 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Tara M. Thomason, 41, of Iva: 108 months, to be followed by a ten-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Tena M. Todd, 47, of Calhoun Falls: 72 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Randy N. Gilliam, 60, of Honea Path: 48 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Michael R. Mitchem, 55, of Iva: 80 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Matthew J. Green, 41, of Belton: 48 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Christian D. Black, 30, of Honea Path: 96 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
- Jesse L. Williams, 30, of Honea Path: 125 months, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision; and
- Florence A. Gilmer, 43, of Anderson: 36 months of court-ordered supervision.
There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, City of Anderson Police Department, Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office, and City of Greenwood City Police Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Sloan P. Ellis of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
- Skelton: 52 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision;
Extradited Jamaican National Sentenced in Federal Court for Telemarketing Fraud Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Antonio Thelwell, 30, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which swindled more than 150 mostly elderly victims out of almost $850,000.
Evidence presented in court established that Thelwell, who is a native of Jamaica, was one of 18 defendants involved in a large telemarketing fraud conspiracy beginning in 2010 which targeted elderly victims. Thelwell and his conspirators would contact elderly individuals and falsely inform them that they had won a sweepstakes, but had to pay the taxes and fees in order to claim their bogus winnings. Through this scam, Thelwell and others were able to persuade victims to wire them significant amounts of money by various means. In order to make the scam appear legitimate, the perpetrators sent letters which appeared to be from government agencies informing victims that their payments had been received. Not only did Thelwell contact victims directly, but he also recruited other individuals to contact victims, receive money from those victims, and wire the illegally obtained funds to him in Jamaica. Thelwell was directly involved in scamming victims out of over $124,000, and the conspiracy as a whole swindled 157 victims out of over $839,000.
The successful prosecution of Thelwell in the United States required that he be extradited from his native country of Jamaica. His extradition to the United States was made possible through the efforts of the case agents, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Jamaican authorities.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Thelwell to 38 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brad Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Dumpster Company Employee Sentenced to More than Four Years for Embezzling over $1M Through Shell Company Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that William Tye Grisel, 40, former IT manager of South Carolina-based company Big Red Box, a national dumpster brokerage firm, was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to embezzling over $1 million from the company from 2014 to 2017.
“The Defendant’s lies and fabrications bilked his employer out of more than $1 million and caused substantial damage to this small company doing business here in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “As the Defendant’s prison sentence shows, this office takes these types of crimes seriously. We will always stand up to protect victims here in South Carolina, whether they are individuals or businesses.”
Evidence presented in court established that, as IT manager of Big Red Box, Grisel was responsible for hiring and overseeing the work of several search engine optimization (SEO) companies, which generate internet-search leads for the company. Not long after assuming this role, Grisel created his own fictitious SEO, which he then used to siphon money from the company. Through his criminal scheme, Grisel was able to embezzle $1,049,996.97 from Big Red Box. Because this money went to a fictitious company that provided no customer leads, Big Red Box suffered substantial additional losses in revenue. While Big Red Box was forced to lay off employees, Grisel spent much of the money he stole from the company on lavish trips, cars, and an airplane.
United States District Judge Joe Anderson sentenced Grisel to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. As part of his sentence, Grisel was ordered to pay back $1,050,000 in restitution to Big Red Box.
This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Holliday and Brook Andrews prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Announced $500,000 Award to Provide Housing to Victims of Human Trafficking in South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that the State of South Carolina received $500,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.
“Human trafficking is a barbaric criminal enterprise that subjects its victims to unspeakable cruelty and deprives them of the most basic of human needs, none more essential than a safe place to live,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Throughout this Administration, the Department of Justice has fought aggressively to bring human traffickers to justice and to deliver critical aid to trafficking survivors. These new resources, announced today, expand on our efforts to offer those who have suffered the shelter and support they need to begin a new and better life.”
“This office is committed to aggressively prosecuting human trafficking, which is among the most despicable and vile forms of criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Its victims suffer immeasurably, and I am thankful that there are safe places in South Carolina for survivors of this horrendous crime to experience a transformed life.”
The grant, awarded to Doors to Freedom, will provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rent, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grant will also provide funding for support needed to help victims locate permanent housing and secure employment, as well as occupational training and counseling. Doors to Freedom is among 73 organizations receiving more than $35 million in OVC grants to support housing services for human trafficking survivors.
“Human traffickers dangle the threat of homelessness over those they have entrapped, playing a ruthless game of psychological manipulation that victims are never in a position to win,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will empower survivors on their path to independence and a life of self-sufficiency and hope.”
Human trafficking offenses are among the most difficult crimes to identify, and the scope of human trafficking victimization may be much greater than the limited data reflect. A new report issued by the National Institute of Justice, another component of the Office of Justice Programs, found that the number of human trafficking cases captured in police reports may represent only a fraction of all such cases. Expanding housing and other services to trafficking victims remains a top Justice Department priority.
The Office for Victims of Crime, for example, hosted listening sessions and roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the field in 2018 and launched the Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center. From July 2018 through June 2019, 118 OVC human trafficking grantees reported serving 8,375 total clients including confirmed trafficking victims and individuals showing strong indicators of trafficking victimization.
For a complete list of individual award amounts and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/htvictimsfactheet.pdf
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The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Holly Hill ArsonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Marvin Leroy Smith-Capers, Jr., age 38, of Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to arson. He was also ordered to pay over $700,000 in restitution to the victims: Joy’s Touch of Class, Goldstein’s, and the Super 10. United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the hearing.
According to evidence presented to the court, on January 8, 2018, just after midnight, Smith-Capers set fire to Joy’s Touch of Class in downtown Holly Hill after spending much of the previous two hours stealing merchandise from the store. The flames spread to two adjacent businesses, Goldstein’s and the Super 10, causing damage to all three in excess of $700,000.
Holly Hill police officers first noticed suspicious activity when the white GMC Yukon driven by Smith-Capers recklessly pulled into the road opposite their direction of travel. They followed the Yukon, which then accelerated down Railroad Street, ultimately losing control. At the accident scene, officers discovered the overturned Yukon, an ejected and unresponsive Smith-Capers, and merchandise scattered about. This merchandise was traced back to Joy’s.
Smith-Capers was also linked to the scene of the fire through the ankle monitor he was wearing as part of a previous probationary sentence. GPS data tracked Smith-Capers as he moved back and forth between the store and his vehicle as he loaded the Yukon with stolen merchandise.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as well as the Holly Hill Police and Fire Departments, the Orangeburg County Fire District, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Lexington Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison on Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Demarcus Deon Booker, 34, of Lexington, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court established that on June 12, 2018, officers with the West Columbia Police Department responded to shots fired at a gas station in West Columbia. A 911 caller observed a person matching Booker’s description with a handgun tucked in his pants walking away from a silver vehicle. Officers located an unoccupied silver Chevrolet Cruz with bullet holes parked next to a building in close proximity to the gas station.
Officers searched the area and made contact with two individuals, one of whom was Booker, who were walking away from the gas station. Booker ultimately fled into the woods, where law enforcement officers located him after a short pursuit. Officers were able to determine that Booker and occupants of another vehicle exchanged gunfire, and Booker shot out of the passenger window of the silver Chevrolet Cruz. Booker had at least one firearm as he fled the scene, which officers were able to recover.
The evidence presented to the court showed that federal law prohibited Booker from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior convictions, including a 2006 assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Booker to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), West Columbia Police Department, and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Commemorates 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Sunday, July 26, 2020, marked the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA), a critical civil rights law that aims to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is proud to play a critical role in the Justice Department’s enforcement efforts under the ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and is the nation’s preeminent civil rights law for providing access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
“This office plays a vital role in ensuring equal access to all,” said U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. “We are fully committed to ADA enforcement.”
The promise of the ADA is its wide-ranging efforts to eliminate disability discrimination across the range of services, programs, and activities that most Americans take for granted, but were largely inaccessible to individuals with disabilities prior to the law’s enactment. Whether in employment, areas of civic life, or in the day-to-day activities and access to goods and services that we all enjoy – the ADA ensures that individuals with disabilities enjoy the same opportunities as all Americans to participate in everything this nation has to offer.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina has evaluated and investigated hundreds of ADA-related matters since 1990. Its enforcement matters involve core issues including accessible voting, access to places of public accommodation, and addressing discriminatory policies, practices, and procedures.
Over the past 30 years, the United States has undertaken the challenge of changing perceptions about disability, tearing down barriers to equality, and altering the systems that have historically excluded people with disabilities. Today, the Justice Department commemorates the many ways that the ADA has transformed society—by replacing exclusion with access, segregation with integration, and limitations with self-determination.
For more information about the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov. To file a complaint with the Department, please visit the Civil Rights Division’s portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. To contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina regarding ADA issues, email the office at [email protected]. For more information about the ADA, call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY).
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Hartsville Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Claude Junior Moore, IV, 26, of Hartsville, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and crack cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that, for the past four years, Moore was involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and crack cocaine in Chesterfield and Darlington Counties. On January 24, 2019, an officer with the Hartsville Police Department responded to a local store where he located a car matching the description of one which had fled from him six days earlier. Upon searching the car, which belonged to Moore, the officer found more than six grams of methamphetamine. On February 13, 2019, officers with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, acting upon information that Moore was in possession of narcotics, attempted to apprehend him while he was sitting in his car. The officers activated their blue lights, drew their weapons, and commanded him to step out with his hands raised. Moore refused, put the car in reverse and, after almost hitting one of the officers, fled the scene. Officers then pursued Moore, who eventually drove the car into a ditch and fled on foot. During a search of the car officers found more than three grams of cocaine. Prior to these incidents, on multiple occasions in June and July of 2017, Moore sold methamphetamine in the Hartsville area to a confidential informant working for law enforcement. There were also a significant number of cooperating witnesses who said that during the course of the conspiracy, Moore sold them methamphetamine and crack.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Moore to 60 months incarceration, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, and Hartsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former SCANA Executive Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Stephen A. Byrne, 60, former Executive Vice President of SCANA, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Today’s plea is the result of an exhaustive and multi-year joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The plea agreement requires that Byrne cooperate with law enforcement officials and includes an agreement with Dominion Energy that will, over time, provide at least four billion dollars of South Carolina ratepayer relief.
“This office will always protect the people of South Carolina and hold accountable those who seek to use positions of trust and responsibility to bilk taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “As noted in the record, the Defendant conspired with others to lie about the progress of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station so SCANA could wrongly increase rates on hard-working South Carolinians and qualify for up to $1.4 billion in tax credits. We will not allow this conduct to go unpunished. I also want to thank our federal and state partners for their invaluable contribution to this investigation.”
“This conspiracy to defraud SCANA customers is breathtaking in scope and audacity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris. “The FBI remains committed to ensure all those responsible for this crime, which only served to enrich a few by robbing families and communities within South Carolina, are held accountable. I thank SLED for its assistance in this complex and extensive investigation.”
“I appreciate the efforts of this joint federal and state investigation,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “We’ve long argued that the law allowing SCANA to charge customers billions of dollars for a nuclear plant that wasn’t even operating was unconstitutional. Now, a former SCANA executive is being held criminally accountable for his part in the project.”
Evidence presented to the court showed that this case arises out of the failed nuclear project at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, South Carolina. In 2008, SCANA Corporation and its subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) announced their intention to build two new nuclear units with their minority partner, the South Carolina Public Service Authority, a state-owned public power and water utility commonly known as Santee Cooper.
Byrne, who served as SCANA’s Executive Vice President and SCE&G’s President of Generation and Transmission and Chief Operating Officer, oversaw all nuclear operations for SCANA, including the construction of the two new nuclear units.
From its inception, substantial delays and cost overruns plagued the project. In late 2015 and early 2016, Byrne and others in SCANA’s executive leadership were aware that without extraordinary progress, the project was at risk of not completing the construction of both units in time to qualify for the federal nuclear production tax credit, which will expire on December 31, 2020, and was worth up to $1.4 billion. In or around June 2016, Byrne became aware that efforts to improve the pace and productivity of the project were insufficient to meet the nuclear production tax credit deadline.
At that time he joined a conspiracy with other senior SCANA executives to defraud customers of money and property through material false and misleading statements and omissions. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Byrne and his coconspirators made false and misleading statements to the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC), the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), and the public. Byrne and his coconspirators used both wires and mails in furtherance of their scheme to defraud.
For example, on July 1, 2016, Byrne submitted written testimony to the PSC representing that “SCE&G’s construction experts have reviewed [the consortium’s] schedule and found that its scope and sequencing is logical and appropriate” and that “SCE&G has carefully reviewed and evaluated all information that is available related to the project and schedule and finds it to be reasonable.” In truth, at the time of this statement, Byrne believed that the schedule was unreliable and unlikely to be achieved.
Further, Byrne testified that SCE&G’s contractors “have a reasonable construction plan in place to achieve the [guaranteed substantial completion dates]” such that “the construction schedule . . . is a reasonable and prudent schedule for completing the units.” In truth, Byrne believed that those dates – and therefore the production tax credit deadline that closely followed – were unlikely to be achieved.
Contrary to his and others’ public statements, Byrne was aware in June 2016 that the project construction schedule and completion dates were unrealistic and unlikely to be achieved, and both units of the project were unlikely to be completed in time to qualify for up to $1.4 billion in federal nuclear production tax credits. His false and misleading statements, among others made by his coconspirators, allowed SCANA to obtain rate increases imposed on SCANA’s rate-paying customers and used to finance the project.
Byrne faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Brook Andrews, Winston Holliday, and Emily Limehouse are prosecuting the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former SCANA Executive to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud TomorrowRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Stephen A. Byrne, former Executive Vice President of SCANA, is scheduled to plead guilty in federal court tomorrow, July 23, to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse, 901 Richland Street, Columbia, in Courtroom 1, before Judge Mary G. Lewis.
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Summerville Man, Fourth Defendant to be Imprisoned for String of Armed Robberies, Sentenced to 12 YearsRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Julius Hamilton Washington, 29, of Summerville, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to his role in a series of armed robberies that culminated in a high speed chase and shots fired at South Carolina Highway Patrol Troopers.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Washington was one of four individuals indicted in 2018 for robbing multiple businesses and business employees at gunpoint. The four defendants conspired to commit multiple armed robberies of businesses, including a Dollar General Store in Awendaw, a Verizon Store in Summerville, and a Verizon Store in Waxhaw, North Carolina. The string of robberies ended shortly after the four robbed the Verizon Store in Waxhaw on February 10, 2017. Like in other robberies, the four held the store employee at gunpoint while they stole cell phones and electronic devices from the store’s safe. Immediately after the robbery, the defendants were tracked from North Carolina into South Carolina, where South Carolina Highway Patrol Troopers located their car and attempted to stop them. The defendants did not stop, and instead fled at high speeds and fired shots at the pursuing Troopers. No Troopers were hit by the shots, and the pursing Troopers were eventually able to push the defendants’ car into a median where it crashed, and all four defendants fled.
Investigators were eventually able to identify each defendant and determine their involvement in the crimes. Washington is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced. Co-defendant D’Angelo Antonio Coakley, 30, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 24 years; co-defendant Malik Juwan Gadist, 23, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment; and co-defendant Paul Anthony Walker, 24, of Goose Creek was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Washington to 144 months, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. The sentencing hearing was conducted virtually, under the federal CARES Act, so that the parties did not appear in the Courtroom.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Waxhaw, North Carolina, Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Drug that Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Darell Levon Curry, a/k/a “Rell,” 31, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced via videoconference to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and crack cocaine. Evidence presented to the court at Curry’s guilty plea and sentencing showed that in addition to distributing significant quantities of these drugs in and around Horry County from 2016 through 2019, Curry sold a quantity of fentanyl on May 21, 2019, that led to two overdoses, one of which was fatal.
"As this case shows, those who push drugs that kill others will be dealt with swiftly and severely,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This case would not be possible without the work of our joint federal, state, and local task force designed to disrupt and dismantle the flow of deadly opioids into the Myrtle Beach area. With these partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who deal in illegal narcotics, especially those who distribute opioids that cause death and serious injury.”
"This case should be taken as a stern warning, both for those who seek to use heroin and those who supply it laced with fentanyl,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI. “The work of the FBI and our state and local partners will continue in an effort to find those that peddle in this poison.”
Evidence presented to the court in the case further showed that on May 21, 2019, the victims contacted Curry, who was one of their regular drug dealers, to obtain $20 worth of heroin. Curry fronted them a substance he called “China White,” a term that commonly refers to a light-colored type of heroin, with an understanding they would pay for the drugs later. The victims split the small amount of what was purported to be heroin between them, snorted it, and immediately overdosed. Records reflect that the two victims were located by their teenage children who called 911 and attempted to revive them with CPR until paramedics arrived. The paramedics administered Narcan to both victims. One responded and has since fully recovered, but Samuel Erny, of Horry County, died from his overdose. Toxicology results reflect that the drug ingested by the victims was fentanyl rather than heroin. Curry left the site of the overdose before authorities arrived and was arrested several days later on federal charges.
During the sentencing hearing, the court also heard evidence of the impact the overdose death has had on Erny’s family. Erny’s family described him as a hard-working husband who had struggled with addiction for several years. The court noted the great impact that the opioid crisis has had in South Carolina, and it observed that anyone who sells drugs such as heroin should know that they are selling a potentially deadly substance.
The court also found troubling Curry’s escalating and continuing pattern of criminal activity. His past convictions included carrying weapons on school property in 2004, possession of crack cocaine and resisting arrest in 2009, criminal domestic violence in 2010, possession of crack cocaine and marijuana and resisting arrest in 2010, possession with intent to distribute cocaine in 2013, third degree assault and battery in 2013, possession of cocaine in 2014, and third degree assault and battery in 2016. Records reflect Curry had been sentenced to sanctions ranging from fines and probation to four years in prison for these past convictions.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. sentenced Curry to 145 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was led by Task Force Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Horry County Police Department, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, the 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit, and the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Loris Armed Robber Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Fuquan Thompson, 52, of Loris, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 5, 2018, Thompson entered a store in Loris wearing a black mask, brandished a firearm, and demanded money and car keys. The store clerk gave Thompson some money and the keys to the clerk’s car, and Thompson left the store. Officers, who responded and viewed Thompson on the store’s surveillance video, found Thompson a short distance from the store. In his possession, Thompson had a firearm, as well as the car keys and money he had taken from the store. Thompson ultimately pleaded guilty.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Thompson to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
23 Defendants Arrested, Three at Large, on Federal Drug Conspiracy and Firearms Charges in Horry County in Operation Broken BranchRead the Press Release
Conway, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a joint team of more than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 23 individuals who have all been charged in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated out of the Cedar Branch area of Horry County, South Carolina. Three additional defendants remain at large.
The arrests mark the first in Operation Broken Branch, the latest iteration in a series of joint federal, state, and local investigations targeting violent crime in Myrtle Beach and throughout Horry County.
According to court records, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), through its Pee Dee Safe Streets Gang Task Force, began this multi-year investigation in conjunction with the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and Horry County Sheriff’s Office. The operation specifically targeted alleged members of the drug trafficking organization based on the organization’s distribution of dangerous drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl, and its members’ use of firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes.
“Pandemic or not, there is no safe harbor for criminals in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I want to commend the exceptional efforts of the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way for this morning’s operation. With today’s arrests, in the last six weeks alone this office has charged more than 50 individuals for major drug trafficking crimes or serious firearms offenses. We can only do this work through close relationships with our federal, state, and local partners. Arrests like these help take down entire criminal organizations, allowing us to protect the people of South Carolina and help ensure they have safe neighborhoods to call home.”
“These complaints and arrests demonstrate drug trafficking organizations will be investigated and dismantled, no matter what corner of South Carolina they are found,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI. “All our law enforcement partners, especially the FBI’s Pee Dee Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Fifteenth Circuit, and the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, should be commended for their tremendous work in eliminating an organization that is alleged to have peddled dangerous drugs and violence in multiple states.”
The following defendants have been arrested on criminal complaints under various charges related to their alleged roles in the drug trafficking organization:
DARRELL LAMONT JACKSON, 46, of Myrtle Beach, is charged in the conspiracy with five kilograms or more of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment.
MARK TYREISE JACKSON, a/k/a “Ty,” 24, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
TERAINE LAVANCE GREEN, a/k/a “Juice,” 28, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of cocaine base and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
WINFERD JUNIOR SHERMAN, a/k/a “Dunk,” 22, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of cocaine base and a quantity of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
TREMAYNE TYRONE GREEN, a/k/a “Plies,” a/k/a “P,” 24, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
PHILLIP JAMAL JOHNSON, a/k/a “Foo,” 28, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. He is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a potential penalty of at least five years consecutive to any other penalty imposed.
ANTRA TRUMAINE GORE, a/k/a “Priest,” 37, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited individual, which carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.
ANGELO TARAY JACKSON, a/k/a “Che Che,” 23, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
ANTHONY LAMONT NEALEY, a/k/a “Esse,” 40, of Longs, is charged in the conspiracy with 28 grams or more of cocaine base and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
JAMES GOMILOUS RIGGINS, a/k/a “Scooby,” 43, of Tabor City, North Carolina, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
LATEICE LANEICE GRIFFIN, a/k/a “Teice,” a/k/a “Thugbunny1120,” 28, of Longwood, North Carolina, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of cocaine base and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
LEON DALE GREEN, a/k/a “Young,” 31, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
TEONTRIC SAQIWINA JACKSON, a/k/a “T,” 28, of Loris, is charged is charged in the conspiracy with 28 grams or more of cocaine base, 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, a quantity of methamphetamine, and a quantity of fentanyl. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment. He is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a potential penalty of at least five years consecutive to any other penalty imposed.
JAMES MYERS, III, a/k/a “Brix,” 31, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of oxycodone. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. He is also charged with unlawful possession of firearm by a prohibited individual, which carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a potential penalty of at least five years consecutive to any other penalty imposed.
DEVANTE JAQUAN SQUIRES, a/k/a “Buddy Ro,” 25, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
SHAQUAN TAEREEK HEMINGWAY, a/k/a “Obe,” 22, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
TYRUSS KENDREZ HEMINGWAY, a/k/a “OT,” a/k/a “Macc,” 19, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
ALFREDO GORE, a/k/a “AG,” 41, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with 100 grams or more of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
MONTEL LASAUL HYPPOLITE, a/k/a “Pooh,” 21, of Conway, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
BILLIE LEE GREEN, a/k/a “Old School,” 59, of Longs, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin and a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
BYRON JAMES JACKSON, a/k/a “B,” 27, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of cocaine base. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
ROBERT JERMAINE ATTAWAY, a/k/a “Ant,” 26, of Myrtle Beach, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
CARL LEE GREEN, 43, of Longs, is charged in the conspiracy with 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams of cocaine base, and a quantity of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment.
The following defendants are still at large:
TYSHON LAMONT CLIFTON, a/k/a “Rondo,” 20, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
BRADLEY CHRISTOPHER GRIFFIN, JR., 34, of Longwood, North Carolina, is charged in the conspiracy with a quantity of cocaine. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
TIMOTHY MONDALE LONG, a/k/a “Black,” 38, of Loris, is charged in the conspiracy with 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 100 grams or more of heroin. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment. He is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a potential penalty of at least five years consecutive to any other penalty imposed.
Operation Broken Branch is at least the third investigation targeting violent crime in the area. In 2017, Operation Silver Sunset targeted 29 associates of the Billy Bloods street gang, a subset of the United Blood Nation. In 2018, Operation Rise and Shine targeted 34 associates of G-Shine/SMG, another subset of the Bloods. Today’s arrests mark the latest, but not the last, investigation targeting violent crime in Horry County and surrounding areas.
During the course of this investigation, agents seized substantial quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Agents also seized more than a dozen firearms, bulk ammunition, and more than $180,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
The case was investigated by the FBI, 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office DEU, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department, Coastal Carolina University Police Department, Loris Police Department, Conway Police Department, North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and City of Georgetown Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case, alongside Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as Deputy Solicitor for 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Caraker.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges against these defendants are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Join Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers for a Press Conference Tomorrow, June 30, in Conway at 3:00 p.m.Read the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, June 30, 2020, at 3 p.m., outside the Horry County Government Center, 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, South Carolina 29526.
Represented at the press conference will be the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the following law enforcement agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office; 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit; Horry County Sheriff's Office; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Myrtle Beach Police Department; Horry County Police Department; Coastal Carolina University Police Department; Loris Police Department; Conway Police Department; North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety; Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, NC; South Carolina Highway Patrol; and City of Georgetown Police Department.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 30, 2020, at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Outside the Horry County Government Center
1301 2nd Avenue
Conway, South Carolina 29526
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982. Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the Horry County Government Center at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Sean Deandre Martin, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on August 1, 2017, Martin was arrested after a gun and multiple types of narcotics were discovered in the car he was driving on Savannah Highway in West Ashley. Text messages on Martin’s cell phone confirmed that he was dealing drugs. Martin ultimately pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking on February 24, 2020.
United States District Judge David Norton sentenced Martin to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Fourteen Defendants Charged for Roles in Violent Drug Trafficking Ring After Joint Federal, State, and Local OperationRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a joint team of more than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested fourteen people who have all been charged in federal court for their roles in an alleged violent drug trafficking ring in the Midlands area of South Carolina.
According to court records, beginning in July 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), through its Columbia Violent Gang Task Force, began investigating an uptick in gang-related violence spanning Lexington, Richland, and Kershaw counties in South Carolina. The Columbia Violent Gang Task Force is an FBI-led joint task force consisting of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia Police Department. The task force also partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and utilized the assistance of a number of local law enforcement agencies, including the Lexington County Sherriff’s Department and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.
Through this coordinated effort, the law enforcement agencies obtained information that a series of shootings, armed robberies, carjackings, and drug trafficking operations were being committed by gang members around Columbia and throughout the Midlands. Much of the violence occurring in these areas was a direct result of competing drug trafficking organizations disputing over distribution territory.
After a multi-year investigation consisting of controlled purchases, telephones calls, and confidential sources, the law enforcement agencies were able to execute the early morning arrests today without incident.
“The criminal complaint in this case speaks for itself,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “However, in these trying times, it is critical that the people of South Carolina know that this office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are here to help keep them safe and prosecute those who put that safety at risk.”
"Today’s arrests demonstrate that even in the midst of a pandemic, the FBI and its task forces will continue to find and arrest drug traffickers who work against the people of South Carolina,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI. “I thank our federal, state, and local partners for their steadfast dedication to the communities we all protect.”
The fourteen arrested defendants have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone.
NELSON DURAN ESCOBAR, a/k/a “Macho,” 37, was attributed five kilograms or more of cocaine in the conspiracy;
MAURICE ANTWAIN LEACH, a/k/a “Blue,” 33, was attributed five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy;
ANTHONY CHARLES BRITT, a/k/a “Mallet” a/k/a “Amp” a/k/a “King Coke,” 31, was attributed five kilograms or more of cocaine in the conspiracy;
JAMES MORRIS, a/k/a “Dollar,” 34, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy;
CHRISTOPHER DAQUAN MELTON, a/k/a “Gunner,” 27, was attributed five kilograms or more of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy;
DEVONTE JABAR SIMON, a/k/a “Ammo,” 27, was attributed five kilograms or more of cocaine in the conspiracy;
DAVID LANARD BALLARD, a/k/a “Dave,” 37, was attributed 280 grams or more of crack cocaine in the conspiracy;
ASHLEY BRYON FISHER, a/k/a “Ponchie,” 38, was attributed 280 grams or more of crack cocaine in the conspiracy;
TOMMY NOVACK LLOYD, a/k/a “T-Lloyd,” 42, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy;
ERIC TRAVAS COWAN, 60, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy;
REGINALD KEITH FURGESS, a/k/a “Reggie” a/k/a “Fat Boy,” 61, was attributed 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy;
TRINETTE L. MELTON, a/k/a “Ma” a/k/a “Auntie,” 45, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy;
JAMEEL DARU ANDERSON, a/k/a “Who-Bang,” 32, was attributed a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine, a quantity of fentanyl, and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy; and
JANIE ROBINSON, a/k/a “J,” 36, was attributed a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy.
During the course of the investigation into this drug trafficking ring, agents have seized illegal narcotics, currency, and firearms.
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, SLED, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Assistant United States Attorneys Sloan P. Ellis and Brandi B. Hinton are prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges against these defendants are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Senate Unanimously Confirms Peter M. McCoy Jr. as United States Attorney for the District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Peter M. McCoy, Jr. has been unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina.
“I could not be more proud to be confirmed as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Since the Attorney General appointed me in late March, I have watched the remarkable people of this office work through unprecedented times to continue the important work of this office: keeping the people of South Carolina safe. Having the opportunity to lead this office is among the greatest honors of my professional career. I also look forward to my continued work with our federal, state, and local partners, who continue to do amazing work throughout the state. I am thankful to the President for my nomination, the Attorney General for his support of my prior appointment, to Senators Graham and Scott for their recommendation and endorsement, and to my family for their unwavering support.”
As U.S. Attorney, McCoy is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of South Carolina. He supervises an office of approximately 62 Assistant United States Attorneys, 75 support staff, and 18 contract support staff, all of whom are responsible for prosecuting federal crimes affecting the district, including narcotics and firearms cases, gang violence, human trafficking, white-collar crime, securities fraud, public corruption, terrorism, and civil rights violations. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Immediately prior to his initial appointment as U.S. Attorney on March 30, McCoy was a partner at McCoy and Stokes Law Firm. McCoy also served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and focused his legislative work on protecting children and keeping neighborhoods safe.
A Charleston, S.C., resident and graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Regent University Law School, McCoy spent more than five years as a criminal prosecutor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, handling thousands of crimes involving violence, guns, and drugs. As a legislator, McCoy was the lead sponsor of legislation requiring the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse as well as legislation establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for anyone who commits a crime while out on bond. He worked to pass statutes that ensure violent repeat criminal offenders do not remain out on bond if they continue to commit crimes.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Honors Emanuel AME Church Victims on Fifth Anniversary of ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina honors the memory and legacy of the nine innocent lives lost five years ago on June 17, 2015, during the massacre at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
“We will never forget the impact of this horrific crime upon the victims, survivors, family members, and the Mother Emanuel AME Church,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Now, more than ever, their response of love and peace continues to reverberate throughout our state and country. Our office is honored by the privilege of having walked with the survivors and family members as we sought justice on their behalf. They will forever remain in our hearts.”
The victims of the killing included the church’s senior pastor and eight of his parishioners:
- The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41
- Cynthia Graham Hurd, 54
- Susie Jackson, 87
- Ethel Lance, 70
- Rev. DePayne Middleton, 49
- Tywanza Sanders, 26
- Rev. Daniel Simmons, 74
- Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45
- Myra Thompson, 59
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Observes 15th Annual World Elder Abuse DayRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Today, United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. joined Attorney General William P. Barr and the entire Department of Justice in observing the 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our country and the world, but among those most severely affected by the threat of the novel virus are our senior citizens. During this time when seniors are most vulnerable and isolated from their families and loved ones by social distancing and quarantine restrictions, bad actors have immediately exploited this international tragedy to prey on the elderly through a whole host of scam and fraud schemes. As the world takes this day to remember the elderly during these uncertain times, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina remain relentlessly committed, through the Department-wide Elder Justice Initiative, to preventing and prosecuting fraud on America’s seniors.
The Department will aggressively prosecute fraudsters exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic and targeting seniors by offering them fake testing kits and fake help obtaining stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program Funds. On this day dedicated to recognizing our seniors, the Department of Justice sends a strong message that we continue the fight to keep seniors safe a top priority.
“This office will always stand up to protect the citizens of South Carolina from fraud and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This is especially true where criminals seek to take advantage of senior citizens, who have done so much for the State of South Carolina and for this country.”
Earlier this year Attorney General Barr declared “Prevention and Disruption of Transnational Elder Fraud” to be an Agency Priority Goal, making it one of the Department’s four top priorities. Major strides have already been made to that end:
- National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11
Earlier this year Attorney General Barr launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline. Staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers, the hotline serves to assist elders and caretakers who believe they have been a victim of fraud by reporting and providing appropriate services.
- Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force: Established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes, the Strike Force is composed of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with FBI special agents, Postal Inspectors, and numerous other law enforcement personnel. Since its inception, prosecutors in Strike Force districts brought cases against more than 140 sweep defendants.
- Annual Elder Justice Sweep: In March of this year, the Attorney General announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in department history. The Department, together with every U.S. Attorney’s Office, charged more than 400 defendants, causing over $1 billion in loss through fraud schemes that largely affected seniors.
- Money Mule Initiative: Since October 2018, the Department and its law enforcement partners began a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute money mule activity used to facilitate fraud schemes, especially those victimizing senior citizens. In 2019, actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 domestic money mules, exceeding a similar effort against approximately 400 mules in the previous year.
- Holding foreign-based perpetrators and those that flee the United States accountable: Transnational criminal organizations are targeting our elder population in schemes including mass mailing fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, and technical-support scams.
For more information on enforcement actions, training and resources, research, and victim services, please visit www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
- National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces South Carolina Law Enforcement Agencies Awarded More Than $8 Million for Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the Department of Justice awarded thirteen police departments throughout South Carolina more than $8 million through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, which allows those agencies to hire 63 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
“I am thrilled that so many of our deserving local South Carolina partners earned these sought-after funds to boost the most critical tool in any police department: its people,” said U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. “This will allow our sheriffs and police chiefs more officers to develop community partnerships, engage community leaders, and put other community policing features into place.”
The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics.
The following thirteen law enforcement agencies in South Carolina earned awards:
- Bluffton Police Department received $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
- Camden Police Department received $326,644, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
- Charleston County Sheriff’s Office received $1,250,000, which includes the ability to hire 10 officers;
- Chester County Sheriff's Office received $1,015,824, which includes the ability to hire 6 officers;
- Chester Police Department received $382,963, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
- Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office received $395,089, which includes the ability to hire 4 officers;
- Conway Police Department received, $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
- Greeleyville Police Department received $97,124, which includes the ability to hire 1 officer;
- Hampton County Sheriff's Office received $367,989, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
- Hardeeville Police Department received $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
- Horry County Police Department received $1,875,000, which includes the ability to hire 15 officers;
- Myrtle Beach Police Department received $1,250,000, which includes the ability to hire 10 officers; and
- Spartanburg Police Department received $351,762, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers.
As recently announced by the U.S. Attorney General, across the country the Department awarded 596 law enforcement agencies more than $400 million, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
- Bluffton Police Department received $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
United States Attorney’s Office Working with Federal, State, and Local Partners to Protect Peaceful ProtestsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is joining federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to preserve our citizens’ First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly while protecting our communities from violence and destruction.
In a recent statement, U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr noted that federal law enforcement resources would be available to assist state and local leaders in their efforts to ensure peaceful protests and to reestablish law and order. Attorney General Barr said that federal resources will be directed at apprehending and charging the violent radical agitators who have hijacked peaceful demonstrations and engaged in violations of federal law.
U.S. Attorney McCoy explained his office has been working with the Governor of South Carolina, the South Carolina Attorney General, police chiefs, sheriffs, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the events of the past weekend. According to U.S. Attorney McCoy, this joint federal, state, and local coordination is designed to use available federal assets to assist state and local partners in maintaining decorum and allowing people to peacefully assemble, while protecting against violence and destruction. Specifically, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is also working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to identify criminal organizers and instigators. The FBI’s JTTFs are the nation’s front line of defense against terrorism, both international and domestic. Today there are about 200 task forces around the country, including one in the FBI’s Columbia field office.
“All Americans should enjoy the right, through the First Amendment, to peacefully assemble, express their concerns, and protest,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “The violence and destruction that escalated from peaceful gatherings this weekend, which we’ve seen across the country and in particular here in our State, are unacceptable. Once gatherings turn violent and destructive towards citizens, police officers, property, and businesses, a line has been crossed. We will continue to coordinate with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively prosecute those who cross that line.”
“The FBI will continue to utilize all our resources to enforce federal law and ensure everyone’s Constitutional rights are protected,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI.
State and local partners across the state joined U.S. Attorney McCoy and the FBI in their commitment to ensuring peaceful protests.
“Our priorities are to protect people’s lives and property, and we also want to protect the First Amendment rights of the peaceful protestors who want their voices heard,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “For those people who are trying to hijack these protests to instigate violence and destruction, we’ll do everything in our power to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“We welcome the help of our federal partners in this effort,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. “We will not tolerate bad actors and agitators who keep trying to disrupt these protests. We’ve received dozens of videos and pictures of those who agitated the crowds this weekend. And we’re coming for them.”
“I love Columbia. It’s a privilege to be a police officer in Columbia, South Carolina,” said City of Columbia Police Department Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook. “Our officers assembled this weekend with the purpose of protecting those who chose to assemble peacefully in our city. Our sole purpose was to protect them and to make sure that they had a safe venue, a safe walk to the State Capitol to express their anger and position. That’s our job. What I witnessed Saturday during violent protests was a travesty. It hurt my heart. I’ve watched those same CPD officers who showed up to protect, sent to the hospital with serious injuries. We’ve had property damage, rocks and bottles thrown at us, damage to CPD Headquarters. It’s not who we are as a community. We are all better than that.”
“We will work closely with our local, state and federal partners to identify and prosecute those individuals who act unlawfully in a time when citizens need us most.,” said Charleston County Sheriff James Alton Cannon, Jr. “Our relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is vital to ensure that citizens can exercise their rights safely and peacefully.”
“The horrible death of Mr. George Floyd is painful to us all,” said City of North Charleston Police Department Chief Reginald “Reggie” L. Burgess. “We all need to come together, to plan and work together, to effect lasting change. Being a proud African-American and a Chief of Police, I follow the advice of Fredrick Douglass who stated, ‘I will unite with anyone doing right and no one doing wrong!’”
“It is important to know that we have the support of our federal partners in times like these,” said Charleston Police Department Chief of Police Luther T. Reynolds. “With the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and other federal resources, we are able to achieve the goal of keeping the City of Charleston safe.”
“The horrific event in Minneapolis has, in no doubt, placed a dark cloud over law enforcement in America,” said Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis. “While I am deeply saddened by the death of George Floyd, I am hopeful that we can use this incident to further advance dialogue between the community and law enforcement. Our community’s voice was heard loud and clear through the recent peaceful protests in Greenville, and I commend the way the majority of our community, both law enforcement and civilians, united together to express frustrations. Constructive dialogue is always welcome in Greenville but the destruction of property and violence will not be tolerated by our citizens and our law enforcement that live, work, and play in our great county.”
Attorney General Barr’s statement is available here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barrs-statement-riots-and-domestic-terrorism
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Multi-State Operation Leads to Cheraw Man’s Arrest on Federal Criminal Complaint for Online Coercion of Minor, Transferring Obscene Material to MinorRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Nathan Branham, 39, of Cheraw, South Carolina, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with online coercion and enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to a minor.
Branham had a detention hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West on Tuesday and had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Rogers on May 20. At this time, he remains in custody.
The complaint states that Branham contacted a 13-year-old minor in Kentucky through the online social media application Uplive, a live-streaming platform that allows viewers to broadcast and view real-time videos via their smartphones. Using the screen name Mystic, Branham learned the minor’s age, told the minor he was sixteen years old, and convinced the minor to contact him using the Google Duo video chat application.
According to the complaint, the minor immediately noticed Branham was an adult male. Although Branham stated that he had a genetic condition that made him look older, the minor ended the call. At that point Branham claimed he could find the minor’s address and threatened the minor into engaging in another call with him. On that call, Branham told the minor to expose herself or he was going to “find out your address and have a little talk to you.” After the minor complied, Branham also exposed himself. The minor reported the matter to her parents. The parents contacted Branham, who also used the Facebook username Shuja Jahan, at which point Branham claimed to be a police officer.
According to testimony during court proceedings, Branham – who has convictions for indecent exposure, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and being a felon in possession of a firearm – engaged in similar interactions with minors on more than thirty occasions.
The case was initiated by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office through the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program, a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 4,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office ICAC task force. The complaint was brought in South Carolina federal court within a week of the first report to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake of the Florence office.
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.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
dsc_press_release_branham_complaint.pdf
Summerville Man Sentenced to over 5 Years for Million-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Todd Van Natta, 43, of Summerville, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding dozens of victims of over a million dollars via a business fraud scheme from 2016 through 2018.
Evidence presented to the court showed Van Natta sought out individuals to invest in various businesses that he controlled. The businesses were generally represented by Van Natta to purchase shipments of goods that he then would break down for resale at a profit. Through these investments, Van Natta deprived approximately 28 investors of a total of over one million dollars, with none of the investors receiving any return on their investment. The victims lived both in and outside of South Carolina, with several victims living in Ohio.
At the time of the offense, Van Natta was on federal supervised release for a similar conviction out of the District of Indiana. Information at sentencing established that Van Natta began his most recent criminal activity soon after his release from federal prison.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Van Natta to 51 months on his fraud conviction, and ten months consecutive for violating his supervised release, all to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. The court also ordered Van Natta to pay over one million dollars in restitution to his victims. There is no parole in the federal system.
The sentencing hearing was conducted virtually, under the federal CARES Act, so that the parties did not appear in the courtroom.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio Department of Commerce. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Charleston Drug Dealer Known as “Mean Man” Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Terrell Montez Benjamin, a/k/a “Mean Man,” 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in the Spring of 2018, police officers from the Charleston Police Department and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating an armed drug trafficking organization operating in the Charleston City housing project in the Gadsden Green neighborhood. Law enforcement captured drug transactions being conducted in multiple apartments in the housing complex.
On September 4, 2018, Benjamin, who was one of five defendants indicted and convicted in connection with the investigation of this drug trafficking organization, was captured on video selling crack cocaine with another member of the drug trafficking organization. In October, authorities raided another nearby apartment the organization was using and discovered large quantities of drugs and multiple firearms. Benjamin has a lengthy criminal history, including numerous prior convictions for distributing crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and for possessing firearms. He was released from prison in June 2018, after serving time for a drug conviction, and quickly returned to his old ways.
Benjamin ultimately pleaded guilty and was held responsible for the drugs that he sold on September 4, 2018.
United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Benjamin to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Charleston Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Schoen and Charlie Bourne of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Twelve Defendants Charged for Drug Distribution Conspiracy After Joint Federal, State, and Local OperationRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a joint team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested eight individuals who have all been charged, along with four others, in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
The recent charges and early-morning arrests on May 14 marked the second wave of Operation Lowcountry Line, an operation which represents a line of federal, state, and local authorities working in tandem to bring consequences to those who harm their communities. The multi-year operation has specifically targeted members and associates of a street gang known as the Dorchester Terrace Crew, DTC, or 4-mile.
“In the midst of a pandemic, this team of brave law enforcement officers let the people of South Carolina, and in particular the folks here in the Lowcountry, know that we are open for business,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Those who break the law will be held accountable. No matter what might be going on in the world, the people of South Carolina deserve to be safe, especially in their own neighborhoods.”
"These arrests and indictments are the result of the tremendous dedication and professionalism of all our law enforcement partners," said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI.
The eight arrested defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Additionally, one of the defendants has been charged with firearms offenses:
ANTONIO MILLER, 39, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
DEANGELO RAVENEL, a/k/a “FAST CASH,” 31, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug tracking crime, using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies, and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine;
RYAN NELSON, A/K/A “CLEPTO,” 39, of Columbia, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
CONSTANCE S. MANIGAULT, 39, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine;
DAMION KAREEB BROWN, a/k/a “D-BLACK, 24, of Charleston, was attributed was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
JUAN BAVISTA ANGULO, a/k/a “BUSH,” 38, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
DOMANECK RYAN ASHLEY DIXON, a/k/a “DOM,” 31, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and
RASHARD WHITFIELD, a/k/a “SHARD,” 29, of Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.
Defendant RAVENEL faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants MILLER, NELSON, MANIGAULT, and BROWN face up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants ANGULO, DIXON, and WHITFIELD face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.
In addition to the defendants arrested, four more defendants have been charged in the superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
LATREL DIQUAN DEMAINE HAMILTON, a/k/a “TREL BLACK,” a/k/a “LATINO,” 24, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
TIEMEYER O’NEIL GETHERS, a/k/a “T.O.,” 39, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;
TIMOTHY ROBINSON JR., a/k/a “THRILLER,” 33, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and
OREALIUS SYRON NELSON, a/k/a “SYRON,” a/k/a “KEMO,” 42, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies.
Defendant HAMILTON faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants GETHERS, ROBINSON JR., and NELSON face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.
According to the fifty-count superseding indictment, the case involves members of a street gang who obtained bulk supplies of heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics from interstate sources of supply and then redistributed the drugs to street-level drug dealers in the greater Charleston area. The superseding indictment also alleges that the gang members and associates threatened violence and used firearms to defend themselves and their criminal enterprise from rival drug dealers and gang members.
In July 2019, ten defendants were charged in the first wave of Operation Lowcountry Line for drug and firearms related offenses. Five of those defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
During the course of the investigation into these drug trafficking organizations, agents have seized a substantial amount of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and firearms.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
dsc_lowcountry_line_2_indictment.pdfU.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. to Join Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers for a Press Conference Tomorrow in Mt. Pleasant at 3:00 p.m.Read the Press Release
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m., outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.
Represented at the press conference will be U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr., and representatives of the following law enforcement agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston City Police Department; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Aviation Authority; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Mount Pleasant Police Department; and North Charleston Police Department.
WHEN: Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters
100 Ann Edwards Lane
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982. Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. to Join State and Local Law Enforcement Officers for a Press Conference this Thursday in Mt. Pleasant at 3:00 p.m.Read the Press Release
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held this Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m., outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.
Represented at the press conference will be U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr., and representatives of the following law enforcement agencies: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston City Police Department; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Aviation Authority; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Mount Pleasant Police Department; and North Charleston Police Department.
WHEN: Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters
100 Ann Edwards Lane
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982. Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Regarding Section 201 of the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- The Department of Justice yesterday filed a Statement of Interest in a South Carolina federal court to promote the proper and uniform interpretation of the Voting Rights Act. The Statement of Interest is part of the Department of Justice’s continuing efforts around the country to enforce our nation’s federal voting rights laws.
The lawsuit in question, brought by private plaintiffs, involves constitutional and statutory challenges to South Carolina’s witness requirement for absentee ballots. Although private plaintiffs’ constitutional claims relate to the COVID-19 pandemic, plaintiffs have also asked the court to enjoin South Carolina’s witness requirement permanently as a violation of Section 201 of the Voting Rights Act.
The Statement of Interest explains that Section 201 prohibits denial of the right to vote to citizens who fail to prove their qualifications by the voucher of registered voters or members of any other class. However, South Carolina’s absentee witness requirement does not violate Section 201 because it neither requires witnesses to vouch for a voter’s qualifications nor limits the set of acceptable witnesses to registered voters or any other relevant class. The Statement of Interest also explains that a claim under Section 201 must be heard by a three-judge federal district court. The Statement of Interest does not take a position on any of the private plaintiffs’ other claims.
“The Voting Rights Act outlaws certain practices that deprive Americans of the right to vote because of race and other protected traits. The Voting Rights Act does not outlaw all voting-related requirements enacted by the States,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Congress has entrusted the U.S. Department of Justice with enforcement of the Voting Rights Act and the other federal voting rights laws. These laws protect the right of Americans to vote for their preferred candidates. We will continue to enforce them fairly, including by explaining to courts the legal framework that governs challenges to the voting laws enacted by the States.”
“This office will always ensure that the people of South Carolina have their voices heard in the voting booth,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr. “This filing indicates that we take that duty seriously, and we will continue to do so.”
Section 201 of the Voting Rights Act is a permanent, nationwide prohibition on the use of tests and devices in our elections. These unlawful procedures include literacy tests, educational achievement or knowledge tests, good moral character requirements, and voucher requirements.
More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws is available on the Department of Justice website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws may be reported to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16, 2020.
“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said United States Attorney General William P. Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”
U.S. Attorney McCoy noted how important this week is here in South Carolina. “From Florence to Charleston, South Carolina has seen firsthand the bravery and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Some of these exceptional men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice, while others have suffered serious injuries, both physical and non-physical. I am honored to recognize these heroes.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.
Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019. The District of South Carolina has lost four officers in the line of duty in the past year.
Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.
The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm (EDT). The online event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Columbia Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint for Wire Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Possession of Machine Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Edward Daniel Kimpton, Jr., 25, of Columbia, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with federal wire fraud, mail fraud, and possession of machine gun violations.
Kimpton had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Paige Jones Gossett, where he waived a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing. At this time, he remains in custody.
According to the complaint, Kimpton engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme in which he fraudulently obtained high value firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories from confirmed and likely victims in Arizona, California, Florida, Washington, Indiana, Tennessee, and South Carolina. During the execution of federal search warrants on April 28, 2020, Kimpton was found to have approximately 90 firearms, including semi-automatic and tactical firearms, more than 23,000 rounds of ammunition, five bump stocks, firearm scopes, tactical helmets, tactical gear, gas masks and gas mask filters, and body armor.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who brought the federal criminal complaint, and the United States Secret Service (USSS), who have been assisted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sherriff’s Office, Columbia Police Department, Cayce Police Department, and Batesburg-Leesville Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia Office and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard of the Greenville Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
dsc_press_release_kimpton_complaint.pdfUnited States Attorney’s Office Announces 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest WinnersRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools.
“Student voices are critical in the discussion about reducing gun violence and ensuring school safety,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I want to thank all the students and schools who participated in this year’s logo contest, and I congratulate our winners.”
The overall winning logo will be used in publications distributed statewide and displayed on the United States Attorney’s Office website. The winner from each grade division and overall winner are named below:
Winner K-2nd grade Division/OVERALL WINNER
Jackson Cornell, Ocean Drive Elementary School
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Winner 3rd-5th grade Division
Edward “EJ” Prince, Ocean Drive Elementary School
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Winner 6th-8th grade Division
Abigail Shoemake, Lugoff-Elgin Middle School
Lugoff, SC
Winner 9th-12th grade Division
Abigail Chapman, Digital Art and Design-Golden Strip Career Center
Greenville, SC
The winners were chosen from entries submitted by applicants across the entire state. Each division winner will receive a $50.00 award, and the overall winner, Jackson Cornell, will receive an additional $50.00 award. All students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.
This statewide contest fosters an opportunity for South Carolina students to express their thoughts on preventing gun violence in our schools and focuses on deterrence of juvenile gun violence and securing our school environments. The contest was open to all South Carolina grade school students.
The winning entries were chosen by a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth throughout the entire department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will provide the cash awards to the winners.
The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and reentry initiatives. The annual logo contest is an important prevention initiative that has proven to be an effective way to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. For more information on the contest and to view this year’s winning logos and winning logos from previous years, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Two Cheraw Men Sentenced in Virtual Proceedings to Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Gregory Jay Evans, Jr., 28, and Talvin Jerode Robinson, 41, both of Cheraw, were sentenced via videoconference to 10 years and approximately five years, respectively, in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that for the past five years, Evans and Robinson were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Chesterfield and Darlington Counties. On January 30, 2019, while responding to a fight in progress, deputies with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office stopped a car driven by Evans based on information that moments earlier someone had pointed a gun out of the window of a similar car. During a search of the car, deputies seized over 11 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock .45 caliber pistol, both of which Evans later admitted belonged to him. Also, on two occasions in March 2019, Robinson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for law enforcement. Both of these controlled purchases took place in Cheraw. There were also a significant number of cooperating witnesses who were prepared to testify that, during the course of the conspiracy, Evans and Robinson sold them methamphetamine.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Evans to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Chief Judge Harwell sentenced Robinson to 68 months in federal prison, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hartsville Police Department.
In light of the current pandemic, both defendants appeared via videoconference, while the attorneys and court staff were present in the courtroom. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Lynchburg Man Sentenced in Virtual Proceedings to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Curtis Goodman, 40, of Lynchburg, was sentenced via videoconference to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that for more than a decade, Goodman was a supplier of cocaine to other drug dealers in Florence, Darlington, and Sumter Counties. A number of those dealers who purchased drugs from Goodman were prosecuted and agreed to cooperate with the Government. During the course of the conspiracy, Goodman sold them significant quantities of cocaine totaling more than five kilograms. Additionally, on February 15, 2019, based on information that individuals were smuggling drugs on a particular flight from San Francisco to Atlanta, detectives from the Clayton County Police Department used a drug detection dog to screen luggage from a flight at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The dog alerted on several pieces of luggage, one of which belonged to Goodman. Detectives opened the luggage and found over 43 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Goodman to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clayton County, Georgia, Police Department.
In light of the current pandemic, the defendant appeared via videoconference, while the attorneys and court staff were present in the courtroom. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime will join communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and celebrating victims’ rights, protections and services. This year’s observance takes place April 19-25 and features the theme, “Seek Justice| Ensure Victims' Rights | Inspire Hope.”
“Protecting the victims of criminal activity, and ensuring their rights are honored in the process, is a cornerstone of justice,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I would ask that everyone spend time this week lifting up those victims, who stand tall against the worst of the worst, and inspire all of us.”
Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda. He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims. President Trump and his administration have implemented historic levels of support for victim assistance and victim compensation.
Here in South Carolina, in addition to its national partners in support of victims of crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works with state partners such as the South Carolina State Human Trafficking Task Force, the South Carolina Victims Assistance Network and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office of Crime Victims’ Compensation. Together, these groups provide essential services to victims, victim compensation, and many other resources.
“While we have made tremendous progress driving down crime and violence across the country, far too many Americans continue to suffer the pain and loss of criminal victimization,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, which oversees OVC. “This week, we stand by these survivors and their families, and we pledge our ongoing support to the countless men and women who serve them with such extraordinary skill and compassion.”
Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The Office for Victims of Crime, part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory. Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.
“Crime victims deserve to know that they have the encouragement and support of the American people,” said OVC Director Jessica E. Hart. “I hope that citizens throughout the nation will take the opportunity this week to remember all victims of crime and their heroic stories of survival. I encourage everyone to also find meaningful ways to express their appreciation to the many committed and compassionate service providers across the country who work tirelessly supporting these survivors.”
For more information on how to create your own public campaigns to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights online and at events throughout the year, please visit: https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2020/overview.html.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Continues to Enforce Servicemembers’ Civil Rights During COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice continue to carry out their responsibility of protecting the civil rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and our nation’s veterans, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since COVID-19 has come to our shores, active duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserve have shouldered new burdens as they work to protect our country,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “We owe it to them to ensure that COVID-19 does not jeopardize their economic livelihood.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division enforce multiple federal laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and veterans. For example, on March 13, 2020, in response to the Coronavirus, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a stop movement order on domestic travel for all military personnel and their families until at least May 11, 2020, and possibly longer. Prior to this stop movement order, many servicemembers signed leases in anticipation of movement to a new duty station under previously received orders. These servicemembers are now unable to occupy the leased property and must maintain housing at their current location. As a result, they face the prospective burden of paying rent at two properties for an uncertain amount of time.
Consistent with federal and state law, the Department of Justice has strongly encouraged property managers to afford the men and women of the armed forces maximum flexibility to adjust their residential lease obligations as needed to comply with military orders during this uncertain time. The DOJ has further reminded employers and landlords to be mindful of the responsibilities they have with respect to members of the National Guard and Reserve under federal and state laws. These laws protect servicemembers’ prompt re-employment and continued pension benefits. These laws also protect servicemembers from discrimination based on their service.
South Carolina is uniquely impacted by the strain on the military community. The state has a substantial military presence: 8 major military installations; more than 55,000 servicemembers, putting South Carolina in the top ten states for active duty military and reserve populations; approximately 400,000 veterans; and over 9,000 Guardsmen. Over 300 South Carolina Guardsman have been activated as part of the current pandemic response, with the number likely to increase.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their rights have been violated under any of the statutes enforced by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division should visit the DOJ’s website at https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers, email the U.S. Attorney’s Office Servicemember and Veterans Initiative Coordinator at [email protected], or visit their nearest Armed Forces Assistance Program Office.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Mt. Pleasant Man Sentenced in Virtual Proceeding to 24 Years for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that D’Angelo Antonio Coakley, 30, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced via teleconference to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a series of armed robberies that culminated in a high-speed chase and shots fired at South Carolina Highway Patrol Officers.
“It’s important for those who choose to commit crimes to know that even in the pandemic the U.S. Attorney’s Office is open for business,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “We will hold those who break the law accountable.”
Evidence presented to the court showed Coakley was charged along with three co-defendants: Julius Hamilton Washington, 29, of Summerville; Malik Juwan Gadist, 23, of Mount Pleasant; and Paul Anthony Walker, 24, of Goose Creek. The four were indicted in 2018 and charged with robbing multiple businesses and business employees at gunpoint. Information provided at Coakley’s guilty plea established that the four defendants conspired to commit multiple armed robberies of businesses, including a Dollar General Store in Awendaw, a Verizon Store in Summerville, and a Verizon Store in Waxhaw, North Carolina.
The string of robberies ended shortly after the four robbed the Verizon Store in Waxhaw on February 10, 2017. Like in other robberies, the four held the store employee at gunpoint while they stole cell phones and electronic devices from the store’s safe. Immediately after the robbery the defendants were tracked from North Carolina into South Carolina, where Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol located their car and attempted to stop them. The defendants did not stop, and instead fled at high speeds and fired shots at the pursuing Troopers. No Troopers were hit by the shots, and the pursuing Troopers were eventually able to push the defendants’ car into a median where it crashed, and all four defendants fled. Investigators were able to identify each defendant and determine their involvement in the crimes.
Coakley is the third defendant to be sentenced. Defendant Walker was previously sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, defendant Gadist was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, and defendant Washington has yet to be sentenced.
United States District Court Judge David C. Norton sentenced Coakley to 288 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The sentencing was conducted virtually by telephone under the CARES Act passed by Congress last month, so that the parties did not appear in the courtroom.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Waxhaw, North Carolina, Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Williston Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint for Child Exploitation, Child Pornography, Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Justin Chavis, of Williston, South Carolina, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with child exploitation, child pornography, and distribution of child pornography.
Chavis had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges, where he waived a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing. At this time, he remains in custody. According to the complaint, Chavis engaged in a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer wherein he shared sexually explicit images and videos of children that he claimed to have created.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who brought the federal criminal complaint within twenty-four hours of discovering the underlying facts. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James H. May of the Columbia Office.
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.
U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
chavis_complaint.pdfDepartment of Justice Makes $850 Million Available to Help Public Safety Agencies Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that the Department of Justice is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local, and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The Department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.
“In light of this pandemic, these are especially dangerous times for our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This funding program will allow our state and local partners access to critical funds as they continue the mission of protecting the people of South Carolina.”
The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs, and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.
For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.
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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Announces South Carolina COVID Strike Team to Combat Coronavirus FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established the South Carolina COVID Strike Team to pursue the prosecution and investigation of Coronavirus fraud schemes, hoarding, and price gouging activities.
The South Carolina COVID Strike Team is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal law enforcement officers, officers with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The federal agencies involved include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS), Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As needed, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team is also working with local law enforcement agencies throughout South Carolina.
“It is a sad truth that criminals are always willing to take advantage of every opportunity to prey on the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “In these unprecedented times, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, and local partners remain vigilant, and we will prosecute those who take advantage of Americans during this pandemic.”
There have been numerous cases of fraud, hoarding, and price gauging across the country. The schemes range from fake COVID-19 tests, hoarding of personal protective medical equipment, and scams related to the upcoming COVID-19 economic impact payments. According to U.S. Attorney McCoy, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team began receiving, and responding to, leads related to Coronavirus activity almost immediately after standing up.
Members of the public can report suspected fraud schemes and price gouging related to Coronavirus by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected]. The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components, to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
To find more Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.