District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
United States Attorney’s Office Supports Advocacy Day for Access and Independence and Accessible Polling PlacesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that in its continued efforts to support the commitments in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in Advocacy Day for Access and Independence.
This annual event was led by Able SC, which is a Center for Independent Living organization, a consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability nonprofit that provides an array of independent living services to people of all ages with all types of disabilities. Its mission includes empowering people with disabilities to live active and self-determined lives. Traditionally held on the South Carolina State House grounds, this year Able SC Executive Director Kimberly Tissot, Director of Advocacy Robbie Kopp, and the Able SC staff conducted the event virtually through Facebook and YouTube. State legislators, officials, and activists from the disability community spoke about the barriers that South Carolinians with disabilities regularly face and the ways they can be remedied.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Sneed spoke on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. AUSA Sneed’s remarks focused on the Department of Justice’s unflagging support for and enforcement of the ADA. Sneed highlighted how 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the ADA. He also discussed the ADA Voting Initiative, which was launched in 2015 by the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The initiative’s goal is to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process. DOJ and other U.S. Attorney Offices have opened several investigations across the country to survey whether barriers to access exist. In South Carolina in recent years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office surveyed polling places in Richland and Anderson Counties and has ADA Polling Place Agreements in place with these entities.
“People with disabilities who live in South Carolina deserve equal access to polling places, and we are committed to making sure that they have it,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy.
The year 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. The Justice Department will continue to use its enforcement and technical assistance tools to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
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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.
Deadline Extended to April 10, and Applications Welcome, for the 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo ContestRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., of the District of South Carolina, announced today that the U.S. Attorney's Office is extending until April 10, 2020, the deadline for submissions for the 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest. This statewide contest focuses on preventing gun violence in our schools and is open to grade school students of all ages. With numerous schools currently suspended due to COVID-19 and our students learning from home, McCoy announced the deadline would be extended.
All entries can be submitted by mail and should be addressed to the United States Attorney’s Office, 55 Beattie Place, Suite 700, Greenville, South Carolina 29601. Upon receipt, the entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. A winner will be selected from each of the four divisions, and each division winner will receive $50. An overall winning logo will be chosen from the four division winners and will receive an additional $50 for a total of $100.
The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will provide the awards to the winners.
If your student is interested in participating, applications and contest rules may also be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners/contest-rules. Additionally, interested students or their parents can call Assistant United States Attorney Justin Holloway at 864-282-2100.
PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through enforcement, re-entry, and prevention 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 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.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces the Appointment and Swearing in of Peter McCoy as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Attorney General William P. Barr announced today the appointment and swearing in of Peter M. McCoy, Jr. as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546.
As Interim 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.
“As a former prosecutor, I am honored to have been appointed as Interim U.S. Attorney for one of the greatest federal judicial districts in the country,” said McCoy. “I look forward to working with federal, state, and local partners to continue the important and excellent work of our office.”
Before being sworn in as Interim U.S. Attorney, 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Invites Local Nominations for Fourth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in PolicingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of the District of South Carolina today invited members of the local community to nominate any outstanding South Carolina law enforcement officers for the fourth annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.
Attorney General William P. Barr recently launched the nomination period for this Award. Awardees selected from nominations received during this period will be announced at a ceremony to be held later this year.
“Our success at the federal level would not be possible without the support of the fantastic local law enforcement here in South Carolina,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “I would encourage anyone who knows one of these outstanding officers to nominate them for this prestigious award.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local or tribal sworn, rank-and-file police officers and deputies for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded officer(s), deputy(ies) or trooper(s) will have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations or innovations in policing.
“Law enforcement is the toughest job in America. The challenges our officers face on a daily basis are more complex, more difficult, and more extensive than ever before,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We are grateful for every man and woman in blue for their dedication and sacrifice. Among those who have answered the call of public service, several individuals in the past year performed in ways that surpassed even the highest expectations of the profession. I look forward to recognizing these individuals with the fourth annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.”
President Trump has established clear directives for the department – with three executive orders – demonstrating his strong support of the law enforcement community. These executive orders commit the department to working in tandem with state and local law enforcement to restore the rule of law, reduce violent crime, dismantle criminal gangs and combat the growing drug epidemic. Our support to the dedicated men and women of law enforcement is strong and today’s announcement is in furtherance of the president’s directives. The Department of Justice is committed to supporting the law enforcement community that keeps this great nation safe and makes it even safer. Today we honor our law enforcement officers by announcing the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.
Within each category, an award will be given to law enforcement agencies serving small, medium, and large jurisdictions:
- Small: Agencies serving populations of fewer than 50,000
- Medium: Agencies serving populations of 50,000 to 250,000
- Large: Agencies serving populations of more than 250,000
By distinguishing and rewarding these efforts, the department strives to promote and sustain its national commitment to policing and to advance proactive policing practices that are fair and effective.
With the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, the Office of the Attorney General recognizes that the nation’s more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies, individual officers, deputies, and troopers are working hard to keep our communities safe.
For more information about the Attorney General’s Award and to submit an application for nominees, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/policing-award.
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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 Urges the Public to Report Suspected COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of the District of South Carolina today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected].
In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes.
“In these extraordinary times, criminals are taking advantage of the most vulnerable Americans through various COVID-19 phony schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “The District of South Carolina, and the Department of Justice, will stay vigilant and will prosecute those who engage in COVID-19 fraud, hoarding, and other scams.”
Some examples of these schemes include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities. The District of South Carolina’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake.
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 about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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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 U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Prisoners’ Successful Reentry into their CommunitiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick, of South Carolina, today announced that nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their communities.
“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/27/2020
Improving Community Supervision Outcomes Through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096
Total Available $3 million Deadline 4/28/2020
Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20
Total Available $13.2 million Deadline 4/27/2020
Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281
Total Available $4 million Deadline 5/4/2020
Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295
Total Available $6 million Deadline 5/5/2020
Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa
Total Available: Determined after selection Deadline 4/10/2020
Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110
Total Available $13.5 million Deadline 5/4/2020
Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680
Total Available $4 million Deadline 4/28/2020
Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf
Total Available $7 million Deadline 4/28/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
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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 U.S. Attorney's Office Announces More Than $83 Million Available to Support School SafetyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence.
“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to tighten school security and improve the reporting of threats.
A number of funding opportunities for school safety are currently open, with another opening in the near future:
Research and Evaluation on School Safety
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308
Total Available $5 million Deadline 4/13/2020
STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308
Total Available $71.4 million Deadline 4/13/2020
Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926
Total Available $7 million Deadline 4/27/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
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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 U.S. Attorney's Office Announces More Than $65 Million Available to Fight Human Trafficking and Help Trafficking VictimsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.
“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351
Total Available $1.8 million Deadline 4/6/20202 (Extended)
Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking
Total Available $22 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Preventing Trafficking of Girls
Total Available $1.7 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324
Total Available $2.5 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Services for Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $16.5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $2 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program
Total Available $5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $6 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking
Total Available $8 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
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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 U.S. Attorney's Office Announces More Than $163 Million Available to Fight Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.
“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098
Total Available $1.75 million Deadline 5/14/2020
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total Available $27 million Deadline 5/21/2020
Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf
Total Available: $19 million Deadline: 5/4/2020
Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available $18.2 million Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available $28.1 Deadline 5/5/2020
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)
Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available $48 million Deadline 4/13/2020
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available $9 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available $1 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total Available $4.5 million Deadline 4/6/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
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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
Upstate Drug Dealer Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison After Offering Cellmate $10,000 to Kill Prosecutor and WitnessRead the Press Release
Spartanburg, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Detric McGowan, aka “Fat,” 47, of Piedmont, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy involving cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol; possessing a kilogram or more of heroin with the intent to distribute; conspiring to launder money; obstruction of justice/witness tampering; and obstruction of justice/retaliation.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that beginning as early as 2016, law enforcement in Greenwood County began to see a rise in the number of opioid-abuse related cases, drug overdose deaths, and overdose non-fatalities attributed particularly to heroin and fentanyl toxicity. Commonly found at the opioid overdose incidents and routinely seized by local law enforcement were counterfeit 30 milligram-size blue prescription pain pills laced with heroin and/or fentanyl and scored with a “V” on one side and “4812” on the other side.
Based on human intelligence, advanced electronic surveillance, the execution of search warrants, and other investigative techniques, law enforcement determined that McGowan was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Upstate of South Carolina, primarily in Laurens and Greenwood Counties. The organization was responsible for the distribution of in excess of $1 million dollars’ worth of heroin, cocaine, and/or fentanyl in the Upstate and elsewhere. Police seized in excess of 20 kilograms of heroin and approximately $1 million during the investigation. McGowan was indicted along with several co-conspirators in February 2019 and taken into custody.
In July 2019, McGowan began to discuss with a person who was incarcerated with him having his prosecutor and at least one witness killed. This person alerted law enforcement to the threat and an immediate investigation began. The evidence showed McGowan had become frustrated with his legal position and desired to have his prosecutor and a witness killed. McGowan was recorded agreeing to pay the person $10,000 to kill the prosecutor and witness and providing information about how to find the targets. He also provided a telephone number and wrote down the name of the witness, so that upon release the cooperator could carry out the plan. McGowan confessed to the FBI of the plot he had put in motion.
United States District Court Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced McGowan to 420 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The drug case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. The threat was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Jason Peavy, Sloan Ellis, and Katie Stoughton 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
Walterboro Gang Associate Found Guilty on Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that a federal jury convicted Quentin John Fishburne, a/k/a “Q”, 40, of Walterboro, on numerous firearms charges, including two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the jury showed that in March 2018, Officers with the Walterboro Police Department discovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol under Fishburne’s seat at a traffic safety checkpoint. At the time, Fishburne was on federal supervision following a 2017 conviction for aiding and abetting attempted murder in aid of racketeering. This conviction arose from a November 6, 2015, shooting in Colleton County, in which members and associates of Walterboro’s violent street gang disputed the outcome of an illegal car race and then attempted to rob a man holding money wagered on the race. Two men were shot, but authorities were not able to identify all of the shooters. Fishburne admitted to being an associate of the gang and driving another gang member from the scene of the shooting, and he received a time-served sentence.
Shortly after Fishburne was arrested with the .40 caliber pistol, his girlfriend, who had purchased the pistol from a Walterboro gun store, claimed that she had inadvertently left the gun in the vehicle Fishburne was driving. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) became suspicious, however, when they discovered that Fishburne had previously been arrested with another gun purchased by the same woman.
Additionally, ballistic analysis showed the gun discovered under Fishburne’s seat matched three .40 caliber shell casings recovered from the scene of the November 6, 2015, shooting involving the gang, the same shooting that led to Fishburne’s 2017 conviction.
Fishburne was also convicted of possessing another firearm purchased by the same girlfriend, which was recovered by deputies of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office following a high speed chase involving Fishburne in 2014. In this incident, Fishburne fled from deputies and reached speeds of over 90 miles-an-hour on country roads while he and his passenger brandished handguns at the pursuing officer.
The jury heard testimony from the officers and deputies who recovered these firearms from Fishburne, the ATF special agent who uncovered the pattern of Fishburne’s girlfriend providing him with guns, and a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) firearms expert who linked the .40 caliber pistol discovered with Fishburne in 2018 to shell casings from the November 6, 2015 shooting. The jury took only three hours to find Fishburne guilty on all charges.
Fishburne previously spent ten years in a Georgia prison after killing his 18-year-old cousin over a dice game when he was 14 years old.
Fishburne faces of maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. United States District Judge David C. Norton, who presided over the day-and-a-half long trial, will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the ATF, SLED, the Walterboro Police Department, and the Colleton County Sheriff’s 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.
This case was also made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson, both 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.
Former Social Security Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing More than $70,000 from Social Security BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Kianna Parrot, 31, of Florence, was sentenced to more than a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to accessing a protected computer for purposes of stealing benefits from disabled social security beneficiaries.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that from September 27, 2017, to June 29, 2018, Parrot – who then worked as a claims specialist for the Social Security Administration in Florence – used her government computer to defraud beneficiaries out of their Supplemental Security Insurance payments. The SSI program protects the most vulnerable members of society by paying benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources.
Officials with the Social Security Administration first noticed suspicious deposits to Parrot’s personal accounts from SSI accounts. The ensuing investigation revealed that Parrot diverted SSI underpayments intended for legitimate beneficiaries to her own account. She accomplished this theft by using her Social Security Administration computer and personal identifying number to access the social security records of individuals owed SSI underpayments. Once she accessed these records, she would initiate a payment transaction which listed the names and social security numbers of the true beneficiaries, but which listed Parrot’s banking information. Parrot ultimately stole more than $70,000.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Parrot to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake of the Florence office prosecuted this 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 Felon Sentenced to 60 Months Imprisonment for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Ramone Baldwin, 25, 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 at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that on November 13, 2018, Charleston Police Department officers attempted to stop a car driven by Baldwin for traffic violations. The car fled, and the driver threw a bag out of the window. The officers retrieved the bag, which contained cocaine, crack cocaine, pills, and a loaded Springfield XD40 pistol. Other officers located the car and Baldwin. Further investigation located pictures of Baldwin with guns and showed the methods Baldwin used to advertise the sale of his drugs. Baldwin, who has been in custody since his arrest, was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his felony record.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Baldwin to 60 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 the Charleston Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 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 Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted this 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.
Pickens Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 300 MonthsRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Bruce Allen Howland, 58, of Easley, South Carolina, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating federal drug distribution laws.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that on February 28, 2019, in Pickens County, two confidential sources under the supervision of law enforcement placed recorded calls to Howland and arranged a meet at his trailer. On the call, Howland told the confidential sources that he was “good,” meaning that he had drugs available to be purchased. The confidential sources were searched and equipped with recording devices before going to Howland’s property. They purchased two grams of methamphetamine using funds provided by law enforcement. They left the trailer, turned over the drugs to law enforcement, and were searched again.
Based on this controlled purchase, law enforcement obtained a search warrant and executed it. Howland was in the trailer and refused to open the door, and thus forced entry was made. Investigators seized three pounds of crystal meth and one pound of liquid meth. Howland had a lengthy history of drug distribution dating back to 1992.
The case was investigated by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., sentenced Howland to 300 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.
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Former SCDC Corrections Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stabbing InmateRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Jarrell Boyan, 29, of Columbia, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law.
The facts presented to the court showed that on October 6, 2016, Boyan was working as a Lieutenant with the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) at Kirkland Correctional Institute in Columbia. While he was on duty, an inmate, identified in the Indictment by the initials K.S., damaged the light fixture inside of his cell. In response, then-Lieutenant Boyan, the ranking officer on scene, directed several officers to assist him in inspecting the cell. Boyan devised a plan to apply restraints to K.S. and remove him from his cell. Surveillance video captured the events unfolding in the wing where K.S.’s cell was located; however, there was no camera trained on the inside of the cell. On the surveillance video, Boyan and two other officers can be seen walking down the wing and entering the victim’s cell. Once inside the cell, the victim gave some resistance and the officers used force to secure the victim in handcuffs.
The officers soon removed the victim from his cell and safely restrained him in handcuffs in the hallway. Boyan and his subordinates conducted a search of the victim’s person and located a homemade metal knife, commonly referred to as a shank. The officers removed the shank from the victim’s person and secured it at a safe distance away from the cell and off of the wing. However, several minutes later, Boyan directed the restrained victim back inside the cell, where Boyan and two subordinate officers applied additional force to K.S. Moments later, Boyan is seen exiting the cell and walking off of the wing and out of view of the camera, where he retrieved the shank. Boyan then placed the shank in his pocket, returned to the wing, and went back into the victim’s cell.
Inside the victim’s cell, shielded from camera view, Boyan exposed the shank and began stabbing the victim several times. The subordinate officers looked on and continued to physically restrain the victim as Boyan repeatedly caused injury to the victim. The victim sustained several injuries, including four stab wounds to his abdomen and punctures to his kidney and liver. The victim received immediate medical attention, but he has required additional surgeries. In the hours following the stabbing, Boyan authored a false report of the incident and directed his subordinate deputies to do the same.
SCDC immediately responded to this incident, conducting an internal investigation and partnering with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue fighting alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those in positions of public trust are held accountable when they abuse that trust,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “We are grateful to SCDC and the FBI for their work in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“When a corrections officer breaks the public trust, they must be held accountable for their actions,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. “The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office working alongside the SCDC Police Services Division did a great job bringing this case to justice.”
Jody Norris, FBI Special Agent in Charge, stated, “Citizens should trust their law enforcement officers, including correctional officers, to act in accordance with the Constitution. When that trust is betrayed the FBI will continue to work with our partners, such as the South Carolina Department of Corrections, to ensure justice is served. This case demonstrates the steadfastness of our commitment.”
Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson 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.
Lowcountry Men Plead Guilty in Federal Court to Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl Causing DeathRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Carlos Ravenel, 37, of North Charleston, and Gordon William Brock, 49, of Mount Pleasant, have each pleaded guilty in federal court to Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in Death.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on November 20, 2018, EMS, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and members of the Charleston DEA Task Force responded to a 911 call regarding an opioid overdose in Mount Pleasant. When EMS arrived, they discovered the male victim had already died. Toxicology and autopsy reports showed that heroin and fentanyl toxicity caused his death.
While officers were at the home, they were notified that a woman had also overdosed from opioids and was at a nearby hospital. Law enforcement met with the woman, who was recovering from an overdose from the same drugs. A swift investigation ensued to find both the dealer and the deadly batch of drugs.
The evidence led law enforcement to conduct a search at the home of Gordon William Brock, where officers found heroin and fentanyl. Further investigation revealed that the day before the two overdoses, Carlos Ravenel sold a heroin-fentanyl mix to one of his sub-distributors. The sub-distributor then sold the drugs to Brock. The following day, Brock distributed the lethal drugs to the male victim, who was with the female victim at the time.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentences after he has received and reviewed sentencing reports prepared by the United States Probation Office. The maximum penalty for Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in Death is imprisonment for Life and/or a fine of $1,000,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Charleston DEA Task Force, with assistance provided by Charleston Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston is prosecuting the case.
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In 2018, Charleston County had the second highest number of opioid-involved deaths in the state. Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin, significantly increasing the risk for overdose, and a person who obtains drugs illegally may not know the substance contains fentanyl. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance misuse, you can find treatment options in your area at http://www.daodas.sc.gov/treatment/local-providers/.
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.
Aiken County Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Brian William Rose of Aiken County was sentenced in federal court for his involvement in a methamphetamine and heroin conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Rose to 24 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on the drug conspiracy and a concurrent 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
Co-defendants Ricardo Dunbar, James Clinton Gunter, Jr., Joseph Price Langford, and Scott Dylan Green, also of Aiken County, were previously sentenced for their involvement in the conspiracy.
Evidence presented to the court when Rose pleaded guilty established that the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation into the narcotics distribution activities of co-defendants Kenneth Evans and Eddie Brockington. Evans is an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Brockington is an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections. Through controlled purchases and other investigative techniques, agents learned that members of the conspiracy purchased and distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and/or heroin for Evans and Brockington. Some of the individuals charged were responsible for transporting multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin into South Carolina and then distributing the drugs throughout the state. Brockington and Evans have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge against them and are awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Sponsors 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo ContestRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- The United States Attorney's Office is sponsoring the 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest. The statewide contest welcomes students to illustrate how we can help prevent gun violence in our schools by designing a logo for use on upcoming PSN publications.
The contest is open to all South Carolina grade school students and entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grades. A winner will be selected from each of the four divisions, and each division winner will receive $50. An overall winning logo or meme will be chosen from the four division winners and will receive an additional $50 for a total of $100.
The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will be providing the awards to the winners.
Entries should be consistent with the theme “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” The deadline for submissions is March 27, 2020. If your student is interested in participating, contact your local school as contest information has been sent to all South Carolina schools. Applications and contest rules may also be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners/contest-rules.
PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through enforcement, re-entry, and prevention 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 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.
Newberry Gang Member Detained on Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Zachary Shakur Stephens, age 26, of Newberry, was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and has been detained following a hearing in federal court in Greenville.
The United States Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) secured a federal arrest warrant pursuant to a criminal complaint alleging Stephens had unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition. ATF, with the assistance of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, arrested Stephens the same day. He appeared in court for a preliminary hearing and to address the issue of bond. Stephens was ordered detained without bond pending resolution of the federal charge against him.
During the hearing, an ATF special agent informed the court that Stephens was involved in a traffic stop on October 31, 2019, and found to be in possession of a loaded firearm. Federal law prohibits Stephens from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior felony conviction for strong arm robbery. Stephens told investigators with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office that he was a member of a gang and he carried a gun to protect himself from rival gang members living in Newberry County. At the time of the traffic stop, Stephens was out on bond for a state court weapons charge from August 2019 that also involved the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
As a result of the federal charge, Stephens faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. The offense listed in the arrest warrant is merely an allegation, and Stephens is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, 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 Justin Holloway of the Greenville office is 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.
Two SCDC Inmates Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Roles in Separate Drug Trafficking RingsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Glenn Quanta Pernell, 41, and Joseph Umphlett, Sr., 39, both inmates in the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in separate major drug trafficking rings run from inside prison walls using contraband cell phones.
“Because of uncontrolled access to contraband cell phones, inmates already serving lengthy state sentences for serious drug convictions were able to continue bringing deadly, addictive drugs into our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to lock arms with the Department of Corrections and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to protect both the general public and the prison population from the public safety threat caused by contraband phones.”
“These inmates were able to commit crimes while behind bars because of contraband cell phones,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the S.C. Department of Corrections. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for bringing these men to justice.”
Glenn Quanta Pernell was sentenced to life in federal prison after jury convicted him of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin, in addition to several other drug-related charges. During an 8-day trial in August 2019, the jury heard hours of recorded conversations between Pernell and his coconspirators. According to the evidence at trial, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) began investigating several Columbia-based drug dealers in 2016. Wiretaps on their phones revealed that the dealers were being supplied cocaine and heroin from an organization in Marion County.
The leader of that organization was Pernell, an inmate serving two 25-year consecutive state sentences for drug trafficking. Pernell employed a network of people, including his mother, Hattie Pernell, and his sister, Whitney Pernell, to purchase drugs from his Mexican drug suppliers, to deliver drugs to his customers, and to collect and store drug proceeds from the sales. Pernell ran his operation from within prison walls at Lieber Correctional Institution, using contraband cell phones to direct and oversee the daily operations of the organization.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris stated, "Today's sentencing is the culmination of a comprehensive and coordinated drug trafficking investigation by the FBI and our dedicated partners. These law enforcement professionals proved again drug trafficking enterprises operating anywhere in South Carolina will be met with a committed cadre of Agents, Officers and Deputies that will dismantle the trafficking network and bring those behind it to account."
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Mullins Police Department, and the South Carolina National Guard, and with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor, Benjamin N. Garner, and Christopher D. Taylor of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Joseph Umphlett, Sr., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. His federal sentence will be served consecutive to a separate life sentence he is serving in SCDC.
Evidence presented in the case established that on October 1, 2015, Umphlett was sentenced in Berkeley County General Sessions Court to life without parole for trafficking methamphetamine, his third serious drug conviction in state court. While serving his life sentence in Lieber Correctional Institution, Umphlett began using contraband cell phones to lead a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine throughout Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over five kilograms of methamphetamine and over three kilograms of heroin. Umphlett was indicted along with 11 co-defendants, including his mother, Valerie Collins. Collins was previously sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for her role in the conspiracy.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said, “DEA is fully committed to tirelessly pursuing criminals who sell drugs, whether they’re selling them on the streets or inside a prison. This criminal was already serving time in prison for drug trafficking. He continued to sell methamphetamine and heroin while incarcerated. His criminal activity landed him even more deserving time in prison. The spirited level of law enforcement cooperation and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office made this investigation a success.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Summerville Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi 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.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm/Ammunition Charge Stemming from ShotSpotter AlertRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Corey Kimani Sanders, age 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that early Sunday morning, September 15, 2019, officers with the Columbia Police Department responded to a “ShotSpotter” alert of numerous shots fired on Oakland Avenue. The technology known as “ShotSpotter” relies on acoustic sensors to pinpoint where gunfire occurs. Information from the sensors is sent to officers of the Columbia Police Department and 9-1-1 dispatchers through real-time digital alerts. Upon canvassing the area, officers located Sanders and learned that he was in possession of two firearms, a Glock 9mm handgun and a Diamondback 5.56mm pistol with a 50-round drum magazine, as well as ammunition. The investigation also revealed that Sanders was a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Sanders, a gang member out on state bonds at the time of the incident, has prior state convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and assault with intent to kill, both of which involved shootings.
Sanders faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs accepted the guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The charge against Sanders was the result of an investigation by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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.
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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 Alleges Conditions at South Carolina's Broad River Road Complex Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
NOTE: The notice can be found here.
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina today concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the conditions at the Broad River Road Complex in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Broad River Road Complex fails to protect youth from youth-on-youth violence and places youth in punitive, prolonged isolation.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Department provided the facility with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.
“Youth held in custody for rehabilitation are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees reasonable safety from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation found reasonable cause to conclude that youth in the facility are at substantial risk of serious physical harm from other youth and that youth are regularly subjected to harmful isolation. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with South Carolina to resolve the Department’s concerns.”
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina initiated the investigation in September 2017 under CRIPA, which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at http://www.justice.gov/crt.
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.
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Justice Department Alleges Conditions at South Carolina’s Broad River Road Complex Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina today concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the conditions at the Broad River Road Complex in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Broad River Road Complex fails to protect youth from youth-on-youth violence and places youth in punitive, prolonged isolation.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Department provided the facility with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.
“Youth held in custody for rehabilitation are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees reasonable safety from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation found reasonable cause to conclude that youth in the facility are at substantial risk of serious physical harm from other youth and that youth are regularly subjected to harmful isolation. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with South Carolina to resolve the Department’s concerns.”
The Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for District of South Carolina initiated the investigation in September 2017 under CRIPA, which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Holly Hill ArsonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Marvin Leroy Smith-Capers, Jr., 37, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to arson. United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the hearing and will sentence Smith-Capers at a later date.
According to facts 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 $1 million.
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.
Smith-Capers faces a minimum term of five years in federal prison, and a maximum of 20 years. He is also subject to a maximum $250,000 fine, and he will be responsible for restitution to the store owners.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Holly Hill Police and Fire Departments, the Orangeburg County Fire District, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is 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.
4 Members of an Aiken County Drug Conspiracy Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Scott Dylan Green, Joseph Price Langford, Ricardo Dunbar, and James Clinton Gunter, Jr., all of Aiken County, were sentenced in federal court for their involvement in a methamphetamine and heroin conspiracy.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Green to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. Langford was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. Dunbar was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by 8 years of court-ordered supervision. Gunter was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court when the defendants pleaded guilty established that the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation into the narcotics distribution activities of co-defendants Kenneth Evans and Eddie Brockington. Evans is an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Brockington is an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections. Through controlled purchases and other investigative techniques, agents learned that members of the conspiracy purchased and distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and/or heroin for Evans and Brockington. Some of the individuals charged were responsible for transporting multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin into South Carolina and then distributing the drugs throughout the state. Brockington and Evans have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge against them and are awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon 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.
Orangeburg Man Accused of Shooting at Orangeburg Police Indicted on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Phillip Michael King, 33, of Orangeburg, was charged in federal court this week in a one-count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. King also faces South Carolina state charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a stolen handgun, and possession of a stolen handgun with a damaged or removed serial number, in relation to an incident in which officers of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety were shot at on September 22, 2018.
The federal indictment alleges that on September 22, 2018, King was in possession of a Smith & Wesson, Model SW9VE, 9mm pistol and various rounds of 9mm ammunition. The indictment also alleges that at the time of the possession, federal law prohibited King from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of at least one prior felony conviction.
King faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release on the federal indictment returned this week. If the court determines enhanced penalties apply based on the King’s prior criminal record, King may face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000, and 5 years of supervised release.
The charge against King was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office.
This case is 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.
The Acting U.S. Attorney stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Shawntavius Ramone Johnson, 26, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on September 26, 2018, officers with the Horry County Police Department were dispatched to a location in Surfside Beach in reference to a tip that Johnson was at a residence and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The tip also indicated Johnson had drugs at the location. When officers arrived, Johnson was taken into custody. A search of the location revealed cocaine, cocaine base (“crack” cocaine), and methamphetamine, as well as body armor, .40 caliber Glock magazines, ammunition, a scale, and a clown mask.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced Johnson to 145 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), the Myrtle Beach Police Department, 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.
ResMed Corp. to Pay the United States $37.5 Million to Settle Allegations Under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that ResMed Corp., a manufacturer of durable medical equipment (DME) for sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders, has agreed to pay more than $37.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act for paying kickbacks to DME suppliers, sleep labs, and other health care providers.
The settlement resolves allegations that ResMed used various sales and promotional schemes to unlawfully induce the sales of ResMed equipment. The schemes included providing free call center services and free and below cost masks and machines.
“Health care decisions should be based on what is in the best interest of the patient, and not on financial incentives and related schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “This settlement represents another example of our district’s commitment to prosecuting schemes that undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care system.”
The settlement resolves five lawsuits originally brought by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in the recovery. The whistleblowers will collectively receive a roughly $6.2 million share of the settlement.
This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of South Carolina, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of Iowa, and the Eastern District of New York; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Health Agency Office of General Counsel; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Former Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Aldrich investigated this case on behalf of the District of South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorneys Tina Cundari and James Leventis assisted on the case.
The claims resolved are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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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.
Florence Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Committing Tax Fraud While Operating a Tax Preparer BusinessRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Donna Faye Shird, 41, of Florence, was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to aid in the preparation and filing of false federal income tax returns.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Donna, and her codefendant Felicia Shird, operated a business known as Donna’s Income Tax Service, which provided tax preparation and filing services for customers. During the period from 2012 and 2017, both Donna and Felicia began routinely adding fictitious information to the personal tax returns of customers in order to artificially increase the amount of tax refund the customers would receive from the IRS. Investigators discovered that customers of Donna’s Income Tax Service provided correct tax related information to the Shirds with the expectation that they would accurately prepare and file the returns for the customers. Instead, the Shirds would create returns which falsely claimed deductions, credits, exemptions and other tax benefits to which the taxpayers were not entitled. Falsely claimed items included child and dependent care credits, business profits and losses, education credits, residential energy credits, and earned income credits. As a result, customers received fraudulently inflated tax refunds and Donna’s Income Tax Service attracted more customers based on their reputation for producing such large refunds. The illegal operations of Donna’s Income Tax Service, and the fraudulent conduct by the Shirds, resulted in a significant loss of tax revenue for the United States Government.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Shird to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is 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.
19 Defendants Sentenced to Combined 321 Years in Federal Prison for Roles in Related Lexington Meth ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that 19 defendants from Lexington County and surrounding areas have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in related methamphetamine distribution conspiracies, which involved the possession and use of dozens of firearms:
Willie Ricardo Gordon, a/k/a “Rico,” 35, was convicted following a jury trial in January 2019 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and sentenced to 420 months in federal prison;
Marcus Young, a/k/a “Lay Low,” 31, was convicted following a jury trial in January 2019 of conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of firearm, and sentenced to 420 months;
Rafael Redmond, a/k/a “Pockets,” 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 200 months;
Jennifer Logan, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 180 months;
Andrew Michael Chamberlain, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 160 months;
James Lloyd, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months;
Jeremy Davis, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 360 months;
Robert Pendleton, a/k/a “Bobby,” 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 100 months;
David Peeples, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months;
Terri Moore, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 270 months;
Brian Lorick, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 168 months;
John Phillip Drawdy, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 264 months;
Leigh Antley McCamy, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 71 months;
Blake Allen Smith, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months;
Kimberly Hartley, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 151 months;
Joseph Smith, 41, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 60 months & 1 day;
Robert Flowers, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to 156 months;
Jeffrey Shane Tager, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 78 months; and
Clinton French, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 262 months.
“Methamphetamine is a powerful drug with increasing prevalence across our state, and in Lexington County in particular,” said Acting United States Attorney Crick. “The drug is dangerous enough on its own, but the added presence of firearms and violence made these conspiracies a particularly egregious threat to the community. I am grateful to ATF and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for their continued partnership in our fight to reduce violent crime and drug distribution.”
ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Mein stated, “The outcome of this investigation means that very dangerous individuals have been taken out of our neighborhoods for a very long time. This case highlights a truly collaborative effort and the ongoing commitment from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep up the fight against violent crime in our communities.”
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon stated, “The safety and security of Lexington County residents is always top of mind for the men and women of my office as we focus on getting drugs out of our community and putting dealers in jail. Thanks to the strong relationships we have with our federal, state and local partners, there’s a united front against violent crime in our neighborhoods.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. It 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia 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.
Columbia Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Shawkeem Reese, 20, of Columbia, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of carjacking.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on June 29, 2019, Reese approached a victim seated in a Chrysler 300 vehicle parked near the Greenview area of Columbia. Reese then brandished a loaded firearm and directed the victim to exit the vehicle. Reese entered the vehicle and drove away. Minutes later, Columbia Police Department officers saw the car traveling on West Beltline Boulevard and began pursuit. Reese led officers in a high-speed chase, accelerating up to 110 miles per hour. Ultimately, Reese crashed the vehicle into three parked cars at a used car lot and fled on foot. Officers quickly apprehended Reese and located a firearm in the Chrysler 300.
Federal law prohibits Reese from possessing firearms based on his prior state convictions for burglary and assault and battery.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron M. Currie, of Columbia, sentenced Reese to 84 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Reese was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Columbia Police Department. It 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 Alyssa Leigh Richardson and Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 188 months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced that McKinley Earl Morant, age 35, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison followed by a three-year term of supervised release after pleading guilty in September 2019 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Senior United States District Judge Cameron M. Currie imposed the sentence.
Evidence presented in court established that during the evening of April 17, 2018, Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers were investigating a shooting incident near Elmwood Avenue and Two Notch Road and received a description of a car possibly involved in the incident. A CPD officer saw a car matching the description and followed it to a nearby gas station parking lot. Morant parked the vehicle, got out and walked inside the gas station. Morant was initially arrested inside the gas station for failing to follow police commands. Officers saw a .45 caliber pistol lying on the driver’s side floorboard of the car that Morant was driving. Officers then searched the car and found several methamphetamine pills, a quantity of marijuana, a digital scale and a box of .45 caliber ammunition in addition to the pistol.
Morant was convicted of five counts of armed robbery in 2002 as well as unlawful possession of a controlled substance in 2016 and is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Morant was also on bond for a stalking charge from Laurens, South Carolina at the time of this offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor prosecuted the case.
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.
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Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to Nearly 22 Years in Federal Prison After Federal Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Gregory Bernard Gibson, 44, of Florence, was sentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison after being convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances following a 2-day jury trial. The case arose from a traffic stop conducted by deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office’s (FCSO) Proactive Community Enforcement (PACE) Team.
Evidence presented at trial showed that on July 27, 2018, the PACE Team was patrolling a high-crime area on the east side of Florence when Gibson’s vehicle pulled out in front of a deputy’s unmarked vehicle, failing to yield the right-of-way. The deputy initiated a traffic stop on Gibson’s car based on the traffic violation. When he approached the car, the deputy immediately smelled the odor of marijuana, and Gibson stated that he had a small, personal-use quantity of the substance in his vehicle.
Based on the odor of marijuana, deputies searched the car. Once inside, they found what amounted to a mobile drug distribution center. There was a loaded, .45 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol in the center console. Federal law prohibits Gibson from possessing a firearm based on several prior federal and state convictions for drugs and other offenses. Directly behind the center console and in front of a child car seat, deputies found a backpack containing distribution quantities of powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana; a bottle of a “cutting agent” drug dealers mix with drugs before they are sold to increase the amount the user thinks he is buying; multiple plastic baggies used to package drugs for sale; and a digital scale containing cocaine and marijuana residue.
Hidden inside a void underneath the cup holder area, deputies found a large piece of crack cocaine and 300 tablets of methamphetamine. After assimilating the large quantity of drugs and firearm evidence, the PACE team partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to bring the case to federal court for prosecution.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis of Columbia sentenced Gibson to 262 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Across South Carolina, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with local law enforcement agencies to focus on the career criminals, like Mr. Gibson, who pose the greatest threat to our safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “We are grateful to Sheriff Barnes, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office PACE Team, and ATF for their continued efforts to reduce violent crime in our community.”
“This agency has a long and proud history of cooperation with our state and federal law enforcement partners to protect our communities from the scourge of illegal narcotics,” Sheriff Billy Barnes stated. “We deeply appreciate the splendid efforts of the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help us remove dangerous criminals from our streets.”
The PACE team is a specially trained group of deputies that operates under the umbrella of the Special Operations division of the FCSO. PACE team deputies are tasked with patrolling high-crime areas of Florence County and engaging with individuals who present a higher-than-normal risk to the community, such as drug dealers and violent criminals. PACE team members also work alongside federal partners to bring cases to federal court when they involve career criminals or especially significant crimes. Through dedicating resources to specialized groups such as the PACE Team, the FCSO is able to be an effective partner with federal agencies.
This case was prosecuted as part of 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 Lauren Hummel and Everett McMillian of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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West Columbia Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Justice Towan Roundtree, 27, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie of Columbia imposed the sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in court established that on February 7, 2019, an officer with the West Columbia Police Department conducted a traffic stop on North Street in West Columbia after seeing the driver of the vehicle commit a traffic violation. The officer made contact with the driver and noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The backseat passenger, after giving the officer false identification, was determined to be Roundtree. A search of the vehicle uncovered a quantity of marijuana, three handgun magazines, and 238 rounds of miscellaneous ammunition. During an officer pat-down of Roundtree, a fully loaded Kel-Tec P32 .32 caliber handgun was found concealed on his person. Approximately two grams of crack and a quantity of marijuana and Xanax pills were also located on his person. Roundtree was arrested on state charges and thereafter, a federal warrant was issued.
Federal law prohibits Roundtree from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior state convictions for strong armed robbery and burglary second degree. At the time of the current offense, Roundtree was on state probation. Roundtree is a validated member of a street gang.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and 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 Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Two Florence Residents Plead Guilty in Federal Court to Committing Tax Fraud While Operating a Tax Preparer BusinessRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Donna Faye Shird, age 41, and Felicia Renee Shird, age 42, both of Florence, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to aid in the preparation and filing of false federal income tax returns. Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the pleas and will impose sentence after he has received and reviewed sentencing reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Donna and Felicia Shird operated a business known as Donna’s Income Tax Service, which provided tax preparation and filing services for customers. During the period from 2012 and 2017, both Donna and Felicia began routinely adding fictitious information to the personal tax returns of customers to artificially increase the amount of tax refund the customers would receive from the IRS. Investigators discovered that customers of Donna’s Income Tax Service provided correct tax related information to Donna or Felicia with the expectation that they would accurately prepare and file the returns for the customers. Instead, the Shirds would create returns which falsely claimed deductions, credits, exemptions, and other tax benefits to which the taxpayers were not entitled. Falsely claimed items included child and dependent care credits, business profits and losses, education credits, residential energy credits, and earned income credits. As a result, customers received fraudulently inflated tax refunds and Donna’s Income Tax Service attracted more customers based on their reputation for producing such large refunds. The illegal operations of Donna’s Income Tax Service, and the fraudulent conduct by Donna and Felicia Shird, resulted in a significant loss of tax revenue for the United States Government.
Donna and Felicia Shird a subject to a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.00.
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.
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Four South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Receive 2019 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA –United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation, hosted the 36th annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon at the Lexington Two Innovation Center in Cayce. Approximately 150 state, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across the state attended the awards luncheon.
The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2019 awards:
City – Chief Terrence Green, Lexington Police Department
County – Sergeant Randy Clinton, York County Sheriff’s Office
Federal – Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Michael Connelly, Federal Bureau of Investigation
State – Deputy Director Brian Joseph Bolchoz, South Carolina Department of Corrections
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performance demonstrates the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of four categories: (1) City Officer; (2) County Officer; (3) State Officer; and (4) Federal Officer. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with a police chief and sheriff who have received the award, selected the recipients from nominations received from across the state.
U.S. Attorney Lydon stated, "These four outstanding officers exemplify the best in law enforcement. They serving their agencies, this state, and our nation day in and day out with distinction, integrity, and character. Like all of our fine men and women in uniform, they make tremendous personal sacrifices to ensure just enforcement.”
City Recipient
Terrence Green – Chief, Lexington Police Department
Chief Green began his career in law enforcement at the University of South Carolina Police Department as a reserve police officer. After graduating from USC, he joined the Town of Lexington Police Department in 1993. He quickly rose through the ranks to become Assistant Police Chief. Chief Green was appointed Chief of Police of the Town of Lexington Police Department on October 2, 2006.
Chief Green embraces the community policing concept and strives to solve problems by building a partnership with the community that he serves. “Despite his considerable achievements, Chief Green has maintained a reputation of both personal integrity and humility. He is a role model for all law enforcement officers to emulate,” said Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon.
Chief Green has a BA in Criminal Justice and an MPA from Strayer University. He has also earned several other accreditations from the FBI National Academy and the Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. Chief Green and his wife Melinda have three children and are active members of the Brookland Baptist Church.
County Recipient
Randy Clinton – Sergeant, York County Sheriff’s Office
Sergeant Randy Clinton began his career in 1984 and became involved in canine handling at the York County Sheriff’s Office in 1988. During his tenure as a canine team member and leader at the York County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Clinton has been personally involved in over 4000 tracks resulting in approximately 2500 locates or captures. These incidents have ranged from missing vulnerable persons, to persons eluding law enforcement for simple crimes to murders. Sergeant Clinton is recognized not only in the State of South Carolina, but nationwide as an expert in human and bloodhound tracking.
He has been instrumental in coordinating and hosting an annual York County Bloodhound Tracking School for 19 years. He has instituted a bloodhound breeding program that has provided over 75 bloodhounds to agencies across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and West Virginia.
In January 2018, Sergeant Clinton nearly gave the ultimate sacrifice while tracking a violent domestic offender and was seriously shot and wounded along with 3 other officers. His positive attitude and outlook in the following days and months inspired and helped the healing process for those affected, as well as the community.
“It is without fail that Sergeant Clinton comes through for those in need. It is the act to which his life’s focus has been, though he remains humble in his actions of service and sacrifice,” said The Honorable Bruce M. Bryant, Representative, District 48, South Carolina House of Representatives.
Federal Recipient
Michael Connelly - Supervisory Senior Resident Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Prior to joining the FBI, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Mike Connelly served in the U.S. Army for almost ten years, including a combat tour in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. In his 20-year FBI career, SSRA Connelly has served in several investigative and leadership assignments to include four tours to war zones in Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
As the Supervisory Senior Resident Agent for the Myrtle Beach and Florence Resident Agencies (RAs), SSRA Connelly is responsible for all aspects of both RAs. As the senior FBI official in Myrtle Beach, he understands the priorities of local law enforcement leaders and utilizes the FBI's sophisticated and technological capabilities to support those agencies. SSRA Connelly leads and actively contributes as a case Agent. He is the lead investigator on Myrtle Beach's largest Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation in over a decade, which charged 33 defendants. He planned and coordinated 27 simultaneous arrests of violent offenders by leveraging relationships with 125 state and local officers. He led two investigations in Myrtle Beach resulting in the conviction of over 60 gang subjects involved in trafficking heroin and fentanyl. He supplemented his FBI resources by building three separate federal task forces to combat violent crime, terrorism, and human trafficking. He led two separate death penalty investigations, and also led the FBI's response in Florence to a police officer shooting where two officers were killed and five more officers severely wounded.
“No matter the task, Mike performs his duties both as a supervisory special agent and as a case agent with unmatched skill, integrity, and effectiveness. He is relentless. He is making a difference. I find myself just trying to keep up with him. The people of Myrtle Beach and its surrounding areas are safer because of Mike Connelly,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon.
“We are proud to see Senior Supervisory Resident Agent Mike Connelly recognized for his outstanding accomplishments. He is also an exceptional leader and that has been demonstrated by the remarkable work done by his FBI colleagues in conjunction with our federal, state and local partners in and around Myrtle Beach. SSRA Connelly has dedicated his adult life to serving his country by way of being an officer in the U.S. Army and now as an FBI Special Agent. We all should be grateful to have him on our team here in South Carolina,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris.
State Recipient
Brian Joseph Bolchoz - Deputy Director, South Carolina Department of Corrections
Brian Bolchoz is the Deputy Director of Police Services for the South Carolina Department of Corrections with over 24 years of law enforcement experience. His previous positions include serving nine years with the Mount Pleasant Police Department; three years as a special investigator with the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office; and seven years with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division as a criminal investigator and lieutenant. Since joining the Department of Corrections, Deputy Director Bolchoz has used his knowledge and relationships built throughout his career to reorganize the Division of Police Services in order to successfully handle the criminal and administrative investigative needs of the Department of Corrections.
Since joining the Department of Corrections, Deputy Director Bolchoz increased the number of Class 1 Law Enforcement Officers from 22 to 46 to better meet the needs of the agency and to better protect its staff and inmates and the public. Additionally, contraband cell phones have been a dangerous tool that inmates utilize to continue their criminal behavior from behind bars. Deputy Director Bolchoz took this public safety threat seriously and created a criminal analyst section for monitoring activities of the inmate population. This important addition has allowed SCDC Police Services to become an intelligence focal point for local, state, and federal authorities in an effort to combat criminal activity related to criminal gangs and their related enterprises inside and outside the walls of SCDC.
“It is rare to find such a dedicated and determined law enforcement officer such as Deputy Director Bolchoz. He works continuously to help our State continue to be a safer place for future generations,” said SCDC Director Bryan P. Stirling.
Deputy Director Bolchoz earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice from the College of Charleston. He is a member of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, and the South Carolina Correctional Association.
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Swansea Man Sentenced to Thirty Years in Federal Prison on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon announced today that James C. Edgerton, IV, age 35, was sentenced in federal court in Columbia after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia, sentenced Edgerton to 30 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in the case established that Edgerton organized the transportation, packaging, and distribution of significant quantities of heroin and methamphetamine. The drugs were purchased in the Atlanta area and then distributed throughout the Columbia area by Edgerton and his associates. During the course of the investigation, Edgerton admitted to purchasing 15 kilograms of ice from an individual in Atlanta. The evidence also showed that Edgerton was responsible for having multiple kilograms of heroin brought from Atlanta to the Columbia area for distribution.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office and former Assistant United States Attorney Bill Day of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Former Columbia Police Chief Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Randall G. Scott, age 50, of Richland County, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia sentenced Scott to 30 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that on December 4, 2017, Richland County deputies arrived at Old Hopkins Road and Garners Ferry Road in Richland County in reference to a subject sleeping behind the wheel of a vehicle while the vehicle was running and in drive on the roadway. The deputies made contact with the driver, who was asleep behind the wheel. After waking the driver, deputies smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle. The deputies then asked the driver for his driver’s license. The driver stated he did not have one. Officers discovered his license was suspended. The driver was then arrested.
Deputies searched the vehicle and discovered a loaded Glock Model 27 pistol in the center armrest of the vehicle. A DNA test indicated that the driver’s DNA was on the pistol. Also inside of the vehicle, deputies discovered a small black bag in an open space under the radio. Inside of the bag, deputies discovered a clear bag with a rock-like substance in it, which was suspected to be crack cocaine. Deputies also discovered several small bindles of suspected heroin.
Deputies discovered that the vehicle was registered to Randall Scott. Scott was contacted and asked why his vehicle was in the driver’s possession. Scott’s response was he did not know, but he would find out.
Thereafter, ATF agents interviewed the driver. The driver stated Scott gave the Glock firearm found in the vehicle to him for his protection. The driver admitted that he sold drugs and that the drugs in the car were his. During subsequent interviews, the driver admitted to using cocaine and methamphetamine with Scott. The driver pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is cooperating with the Government. He admitted that he and Scott used drugs together and that he has seen Scott with drugs.
On April 2, 2018, Scott was taken to the hospital for a medical condition. His medical records indicated that he tested positive for cocaine, amphetamine, and opiates. His records indicate he was diagnosed with an illness which was related to cocaine abuse and methamphetamine abuse.
On July 18, 2018, the U.S. Marshals executed an arrest warrant at Scott’s house looking for a fugitive. During the execution of the search warrant, they found a large number of guns in the house. They also found a small amount of methamphetamine. One of the persons in the house, identified in court records as J.O., told the officers that she and Scott had just done methamphetamine before the police arrived and that Scott had more methamphetamine on him before the police entered the house. The police obtained the surveillance video from inside of the house, and it appears that Scott and J.O. had entered a bedroom just before the police entered. J.O. then came out and started to clean the house, saw the police, and alerted everyone. Scott is seen pulling a gun out of his waistband and running through the house with the gun. He entered another room, where it is believed that he disposed of the drugs. Later, when he was being taken to jail, he admitted that he had used both cocaine and methamphetamine in the past. The police found multiple guns during the search of his house. One of the guns belonged to the City of Columbia. It was issued to Scott while he was Chief of Police, and he did not return it.
On February 25, 2019, J.O. was interviewed again by ATF. She told the agents she met Scott in 2017. They did ice and heroin together. She stated that they did ice together about 1-2 times a week for a year. She also stated she had seen Scott using heroin, ice and cocaine in the past.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Richland County Sheriff's Department, and City of Columbia Police Department. It 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 William K. Witherspoon and T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Charleston Area Man Given Lengthy Sentence on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon announced today that Brian Dale Lee, age 40, was sentenced in federal court in Charleston after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel, of Charleston, sentenced Lee to 293 month in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in the case established that Lee was arrested along with two co-defendants at the a hotel in Orangeburg on January 16, 2018, after returning from a trip to Atlanta to purchase methamphetamine and heroin. During a search of Lee’s room, agents found 1,345 grams of methamphetamine and 150 grams of heroin, over $15,000, and five cell phones. Further investigation showed that Lee had previously made multiple trips to Atlanta to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin for distribution in the Charleston area.
Evidence in the case also showed that approximately four months prior to his arrest, Lee sold fentanyl to Lisa Cohen, who was previously sentenced in a separate federal case. Cohen’s 17-year-old son died from a fentanyl overdose after using the drugs provided by Lee.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Coroner’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston Office prosecuted the case.
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California Man Indicted in $300 Million Nationwide Investment Fraud and Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Scott A. Kohn, age 64, of Newport, California, and Future Income Payments, LLC (FIP), an entity organized under the laws of Nevada, have been charged in a federal Indictment alleging a conspiracy to engage in mail and wire fraud. Kohn was arraigned yesterday before a United States Magistrate Judge in Greenville.
According to the Indictment, FIP operated a Ponzi scheme in which it actively recruited pension holders who were desperate for money, including many veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The pensioners made monthly payments to FIP in exchange for a lump sum payment or loan. The adjusted annual percentage rate on these transactions often exceeded 100%.
FIP then solicited investors to purchase “structured cash flows,” which were the pensioners’ monthly pension payments. FIP promised the investors a rate of return between 6.5% and 8%. It took active steps to conceal from the investors the usurious nature of its transactions with the pension holders. FIP diverted new investor funds flowing into the business to fund payments to earlier investors in order to keep the scheme operational. When FIP ceased doing business in early 2018, investors were owed approximately $300 million. The scheme alleged in the Indictment victimized over 2,600 individuals.
“The rule of law is essential to a prosperous economy, and those who avail themselves of our marketplace are expected to abide by our laws,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The scheme alleged in this Indictment took advantage of pensioners facing difficult financial situations – including veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces – and preyed upon innocent investors to the tune of roughly $300 million. Along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold accountable those who flout our laws and line their own pockets by robbing individuals of their hard-earned money.”
The maximum penalty Kohn could face for the conspiracy charge is 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. The case is being investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office for prosecution.
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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Attorney General Announces Launch of Project Guardian – A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally.”
“Reducing gun crime in South Carolina is a priority for the Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement across our state,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Sherri A. Lydon. “Through Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are prioritizing partnerships with our Solicitors’ Offices and our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that will help us identify and prosecute those offenders who pose the greatest threat to our safety.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:
- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
- Enforcing the Background Check System. United States Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees.
Particular emphasis is placed on individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.
- Improved Information Sharing. On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.
- Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials. Each United States Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the United States Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.
Additionally, United States Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination. Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
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For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
Columbia Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Distribution of Oxycodone Resulting in the Death of Former UofSC StudentRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Anthony James “AJ” Edward Hunt, 24, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the distribution of oxycodone resulting in death.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Hunt sold R.B., a former University of South Carolina student, alprazolam tablets on January 24 and 26, 2016, after R.B. expressed her desire to commit suicide. When the alprazolam tablets failed to cause R.B. to die, Hunt advised R.B. that she could take her life by ingesting oxycodone tablets. He provided her with detailed instructions on how to consume the oxycodone pills, and on January 27, 2016, Hunt sold R.B. ten 30-milligram oxycodone tablets. The next day, R.B. was found deceased in her apartment. Experts opined that R.B.’s death was caused by an oxycodone overdose. After his arrest, Hunt admitted to law enforcement that he sold the oxycodone to R.B. knowing that she intended to commit suicide.
“The job of the U.S. Attorney’s Office is to keep South Carolinians safe. That means safe from gun violence, safe from public corruption and fraud, and safe from an opioid epidemic that transcends every demographic,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “AJ Hunt’s distribution of oxycodone destroyed two young lives and shattered two families, and we will continue to bring justice to those, like Hunt, whose distribution of illegal drugs results in the death of another individual. It is my hope that this tragic case will also help us raise awareness among students, parents, and schools about the devastating effects the misuse and abuse of opioids can have on our college campuses.”
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, sentenced Hunt to 293 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The charges against Hunt were the result of an investigation led by Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Adam Roberson, with the assistance of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Coroner’s Office, Columbia Police Department, University of South Carolina Police Department, and Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Garner of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Lexington Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Defrauding Dumpster CompanyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that William Tye Grisel, age 39, of Lexington, pleaded guilty in federal court to Wire Fraud after using his position and access to company networks and credit cards to embezzle approximately $1,050,000.00 from his employer, Big Red Box (BRB), a waste management call center located in Columbia.
Facts presented to the court showed BRB hired Grisel on December 23, 2013, to be a national dumpster salesperson. He later became an IT manager. As the IT manager, he was responsible for BRB’s computer hardware, phone systems and servers, computer systems and servers, proprietary software, and email systems. Most significantly, he was responsible for hiring, managing, tracking, and paying the search engine optimization companies (SEOs) that generated marketing calls for BRB.
SEOs initiate marketing phone calls that are routed to the BRB call center. This is a significant expense. Since 2011, BRB has hired and paid approximately ten SEOs.
Grisel started a company called Local List. Local List generated no calls on its own. Instead, Local List used the call lists of other SEOs, represented that these call lists were its own, and billed BRB for them. Over almost three years, Local List billed BRB around $1,049,996.97.
Grisel ceased his full-time employment with BRB on March 1, 2016. He then started his own company, G5 Marketing. As an independent contractor, Grisel, through G5, continued to receive $1,600 per month from BRB.
Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted Grisel’s plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The United States Secret Service and Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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South Carolina Man Sentenced to 10 years in Prison for Forcing Man with Intellectual Disability to Work at RestaurantRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. District Court Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced defendant Bobby Paul Edwards, 54, of Conway, South Carolina, to 10 years in prison and ordered him to pay $272,952.96 in restitution to the victim. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 4, 2018, to one count of forced labor for coercing an African-American man with an intellectual disability to work extensive hours at a restaurant for no pay.
“It is almost inconceivable that instances of forced labor endure in this country to this day – a century and a half after the Emancipation Proclamation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to investigate, prosecute, and convict human traffickers involved in forced labor, seeking justice on behalf of their victims.”
“For stealing his victim’s freedom and wages, Mr. Edwards has earned every day of his sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate forced or exploitative labor in South Carolina, and we are grateful to the watchful citizen and our partners in law enforcement who put a stop to this particularly cruel violence.”
“This abusive enslavement of a vulnerable person is shocking. The FBI is always vigilantly searching for these offenses and stands ready to bring perpetrators to justice and help victims reclaim their lives. We understand human trafficking takes many forms and we encourage anyone with information related to these crimes to contact the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris.
According to the defendant’s plea colloquy and admissions in court, between 2009 and 2014, the defendant used violence and other coercive means to compel the victim to work for more than 100 hours a week for no pay at a restaurant managed by the defendant in Conway, South Carolina. The defendant subjected the victim to physical and emotional abuse whenever the victim made a mistake or failed to work fast enough. The defendant beat the victim with a belt, fists, and pots and pans. On one occasion, he dipped metal tongs into hot grease and burned the victim’s neck. The defendant further yelled at the victim and used racial slurs to belittle and demean him. After a concerned resident notified state authorities of the defendant’s abuse, the victim was removed from the situation in October 2014.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Jared Fishman and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa L. Richardson of the District of South Carolina.
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Freddie Grant Resentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Federal Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Freddie Grant, age 59, of Elgin, was resentenced to the statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison after his conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Grant was back before the federal district court for resentencing after a change in the law affected his earlier classification as an armed career criminal. Grant, who was convicted following a federal trial in January 2013, was originally deemed an armed career criminal subject to a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. He was sentenced to 212 months in prison with 5 years of supervision to follow. That conviction and sentence were upheld in 2014 by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In 2016, Grant filed a habeas petition challenging his armed career criminal status. He argued that, based on a change in law, his 1980 military kidnapping court-martial could not subject him to an enhanced federal sentence. The district court agreed based upon an August 2019 Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision and vacated Grant’s sentence. Grant no longer has the requisite three predicate convictions to be classified as an armed career criminal and is now subject to a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years.
Grant’s new advisory sentencing guidelines range was 27 to 33 months in prison. The Government moved for an upward variance from the guidelines range, noting that Grant’s extensive criminal history was underrepresented in the guidelines calculation, and asked the court to impose the statutory maximum 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervision to follow. Grant has prior convictions for assault by inflicting grievous bodily harm, resisting apprehension, assault upon an officer, kidnapping, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine, carrying concealed weapon, resisting arrest, shoplifting, driving under suspension, and criminal domestic violence.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron M. Currie, of Columbia, granted the Government’s motion and sentenced Grant to 10 years’ imprisonment with 3 years of federal supervision to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
Grant will be returned to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to serve the remainder of his 10-year federal sentence. After Grant completes his federal sentence, he will be transferred to a state facility to serve the remainder of his 30-year state sentence for the kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Gabrielle Swainson. After that state sentence is completed, he will be on federal supervision for 3 years.
Evidence presented during the January 2013 federal trial established that on August 21, 2012, investigators with the Richland County Sheriffs Department executed a search warrant at Grant’s home in Elgin. During the search, investigators located a box of 12 gauge shotgun shells on a table in the living room area and a box of .38 caliber ammunition in a nightstand in a bedroom. Federal law prohibits Grant from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions. Investigators seized the ammunition and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which arrested Grant on the federal charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
During his original federal sentencing hearing in April 2013, the court found that Grant obstructed justice during his federal trial by suborning perjury by his then 27-year-old daughter Dominique Grant.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. It 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 Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Gang Member Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Donald Benson, 30, of Columbia, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on October 5, 2018, an officer with the Columbia Police Department, who knew Benson and knew he had a suspended driver’s license and outstanding warrants, approached Benson. Benson fled on foot as the officer attempted to make contact with him. During this flight, Benson tossed a loaded firearm from his jacket and continued to flee before the officer finally apprehended Benson. Evidence was also presented of Benson’s status as a validated gang member.
Federal law prohibits Benson from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has numerous state felony convictions, including attempted murder; assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature; unlawful carry of a pistol; and participating in a riot while in prison.
United States District J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, sentenced Benson to 50 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 Midlands Gang Task Force, a team of federal and local law enforcement agencies committed to identifying violent gang members. The Task Force agencies involved in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department. The 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 Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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South Carolina Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Forcing Man with Intellectual Disability to Work at RestaurantRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced defendant Bobby Paul Edwards, 54, of Conway, South Carolina, to 10 years in prison and ordered him to pay $272,952.96 in restitution to the victim. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 4, 2018, to one count of forced labor for coercing an African-American man with an intellectual disability to work extensive hours at a restaurant for no pay.
“It is almost inconceivable that instances of forced labor endure in this country to this day – a century and a half after the Emancipation Proclamation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to investigate, prosecute, and convict human traffickers involved in forced labor, seeking justice on behalf of their victims.”
“For stealing his victim’s freedom and wages, Mr. Edwards has earned every day of his sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate forced or exploitative labor in South Carolina, and we are grateful to the watchful citizen and our partners in law enforcement who put a stop to this particularly cruel violence.”
“This abusive enslavement of a vulnerable person is shocking. The FBI is always vigilantly searching for these offenses and stands ready to bring perpetrators to justice and help victims reclaim their lives. We understand human trafficking takes many forms and we encourage anyone with information related to these crimes to contact the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris.
According to the defendant’s plea colloquy and admissions in court, between 2009 and 2014, the defendant used violence and other coercive means to compel the victim to work for more than 100 hours a week for no pay at a restaurant managed by the defendant in Conway, South Carolina. The defendant subjected the victim to physical and emotional abuse whenever the victim made a mistake or failed to work fast enough. The defendant beat the victim with a belt, fists, and pots and pans. On one occasion, he dipped metal tongs into hot grease and burned the victim’s neck. The defendant further yelled at the victim and used racial slurs to belittle and demean him. After a concerned resident notified state authorities of the defendant’s abuse, the victim was removed from the situation in October 2014.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Jared Fishman and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa L. Richardson of the District of South Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon to Join U.S. Attorneys from North Carolina for a Press Conference Tomorrow in Myrtle Beach at 11:00 a.m.Read the Press Release
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in the lobby of the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, 2101 North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577.
Represented at the press conference will be U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Sherri Lydon, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Andrew Murray, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Robert Higdon, Jr.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel
2101 North Oak Street
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Lance Crick, 864-282-2105. Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather in the lobby of the hotel at 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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Hartsville Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Kyre Christen Brown, 25, of Hartsville, was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on September 8, 2018, an officer with the Hartsville Police Department was on patrol when he saw Brown walking northbound on the sidewalk. The officer confirmed that there was an outstanding warrant for Brown, then pulled into a nearby driveway, opened his door, and attempted to make contact with Brown. As soon as the officer opened his door, Brown ran, and the officer pursued Brown on foot. Brown ran through a backyard, jumped a fence into the backyard of another house, and stopped for a moment near a bush, where he appeared to be hiding something. When Brown saw the officer coming, he took off again but eventually stopped in another back yard, where the officer apprehended him. Officers searched the area near the bush where Brown had briefly stopped and found a loaded revolver.
Federal law prohibits Brown from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has prior convictions for strong arm robbery, assault and battery first degree, and second degree burglary.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Brown to 48 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 Hartsville Police Department. It 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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Conway Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Eron Jordan, 28, of Conway, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on May 22, 2018, an officer with the Conway Police Department was on patrol when he saw a vehicle with tinted windows so dark that he could not see the driver through the front side window. The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, and upon approaching the vehicle, smelled an odor of marijuana. The officer explained the window tint violation to the driver, identified as Eron Jordan, asked Jordan to step out of the vehicle, and asked about the odor of marijuana. Jordan disagreed about the odor and said he had no objections to the officers looking in the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered two bags of crack cocaine and two bags of heroin in the center console; a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun in the glove compartment, loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition; a silver scale in the front passenger door; several cell phones; a glass jar with a small amount of suspected marijuana; $335.00 in cash in the driver’s door; and $5,762.00 in cash in a book bag on the rear passenger seat. A search of a passenger in the vehicle revealed 70 Hydrocodone pills, 69 Oxycodone pills, and 10 Buprenorphine pills. Jordan admitted that everything in the car was his and nothing belonged to the passenger.
Federal law prohibits Jordan from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has two prior state convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm.
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Jordan to 144 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 Conway Police Department, assisted by the Horry County Police Department and the Horry County Sheriff’s Office. It 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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