District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon to join Solicitors from the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 13th Judicial Circuits and Law Enforcement for a Press Conference Today in Greenville at 11:00 a.m.Read the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced that a press conference will be held today, Thursday, October 31, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in the lobby of the Greenville County Courthouse, 305 East North Street, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601.
Represented at the press conference will be the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette, 8th Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo, 10th Circuit Solicitor David Wagner, and 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, along with members of law enforcement.
WHEN: Thursday, October 31, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Greenville County Courthouse
305 East North Street
Greenville, South Carolina 29601
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Lance Crick, 864-282-2105. All media must present a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license). Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather in the first floor lobby of the Courthouse at 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon Joins Solicitors from the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 13th Judicial Circuits and Law Enforcement to Announce Coordinated, Analytics-Driven Partnership to Combat Violent Crime in South Carolina CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon launched a new partnership to address reducing violent crime in communities across South Carolina at a press conference this morning at the Greenville County Courthouse. U.S. Attorney Lydon was joined by 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette, 8th Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo, 10th Circuit Solicitor David Wagner, and 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, along with numerous members of law enforcement.
In her remarks this morning, U.S. Attorney Lydon detailed the coordinated efforts that are already underway between state and federal prosecutors, who are working in close concert with local, state, and federal law enforcement. “Reducing violent crime in South Carolina is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement in general,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “One of the biggest surprises to me after taking office was coming to understand just how many shots are being fired on the streets of our communities. I think the public would be surprised, too. Because of advances in technology, we now often know just how many shots are being fired. It is alarming. The technology, however, and the analytics we now have, also better inform us of who is actually firing the shots. What we have learned is that roughly 80 to 90% of violent crime is committed by only 5 to 7% of offenders.”
“So today, with our law enforcement partners, and specifically the Solicitors of the 7th, 8th, 10th , and 13th Circuits, we want to send a message to our communities, and also to those 5 to 7% who would rob us of our security, that we are prioritizing prosecutions. The Solicitors face thousands of warrants a year, but, working together, we are going to focus on those offenders who pose the greatest threat to our safety.”
Lydon noted that, on the federal side, efforts have already begun by providing training on using objective data to identify and investigate the most violent offenders. Moving forward, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will regularly have joint meetings with law enforcement during which officials will use analytics and objective data to identify the worst offenders. The Solicitors have designated at least one prosecutor in each of their offices who will be in weekly contact with federal prosecutors and a team of law enforcement partners. Together, state and federal prosecutors will be focused on the same individuals and will determine whether each case will be prosecuted in state or federal court. Furthermore, the Solicitors are committed to having an Assistant Solicitor at the bond hearings of these most serious offenders and to moving to revoke bond on the top offenders when they re-offend.
The community will play an integral role in this partnership, Lydon remarked: “We will also have all stakeholders present at sentencing hearings, and the judge will be given the entire picture of the particular offender, including any information our office may have on the individual. Essentially, whether we are in state court or federal court, we are ‘all in’ on these top offenders.”
U.S. Attorney Lydon lifted up the work of state prosecutors as well. “I cannot thank these Solicitors enough. They face a much heavier docket than our office does. They have agreed, however, to prioritize these offenders and place a heightened focus on gun crimes and how they are charged. Some will actually hold gun court – a new designation where, by setting aside a day of court just for gun cases, they will spotlight the issue for the court and the community. Others are looking at enhanced charges when possible, instead of charging the routine misdemeanor unlawful carrying charge.”
“As their federal counterpart, our office pledges our support, our resources, and our statutes, where needed. We are much more effective when we tackle the problem together. We have always been privileged to work with them. Today, we advance a strategy of prioritized prosecutions that allow us to do it more effectively.”
The partnership announced today is 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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U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon to join Solicitors from the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 13th Judicial Circuits and Law Enforcement for a Press Conference Tomorrow in Greenville at 11:00 a.m.Read the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, Thursday, October 31, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in the lobby of the Greenville County Courthouse, 305 East North Street, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601.
Represented at the press conference will be the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette, 8th Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo, 10th Circuit Solicitor David Wagner, and 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, along with members of law enforcement.
WHEN: Thursday, October 31, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Greenville County Courthouse
305 East North Street
Greenville, South Carolina 29601
NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Lance Crick, 864-282-2105. All media must present a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license). Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather in the first floor lobby of the Courthouse at 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes in advance.
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DEA to Accept Prescription Drugs and Electronic Vaping Devices Across South Carolina on National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Columbia District Office is partnering with national, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, as well as community coalition groups, to hold its 18th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at over 80 locations across South Carolina this Saturday, October 26, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This one-day event will make it convenient for the public to rid their homes of potentially dangerous prescription drugs. South Carolinians will be able to drop off their expired, unused, and unwanted pills at sites across the state free of charge, no questions asked. By doing so, they will help prevent prescription drug abuse and theft. South Carolinians participating in DEA’s last take-back held on April 27, 2019, yielded 11,825 pounds of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at sites set up throughout the state.
For the first time, DEA will also accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop off locations during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It is important to note that DEA cannot accept devices containing lithium ion batteries. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, individuals should consult with stores that recycle lithium ion batteries.
Concerns have been raised across the United States over illnesses and death caused by vaping and the high youth vaping initiation rates. In an effort to support a healthy lifestyle and energetic population, especially amongst America’s youth, DEA is committed to doing all it can to help safely dispose of vaping devices and substances.
“Saturday’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an opportunity for South Carolinians to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs, helping to keep dangerous narcotics out of the wrong hands and off of our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “This is an important first step in preventing the misuse and abuse of prescription medication. We are grateful to DEA for their leadership and to each of our local partners for helping make this event a reality.”
“DEA’s 18th Prescription Drug Take Back event will allow Americans to safely and properly dispose of their unwanted/unused prescription medications,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “During Saturday’s Take Back event, DEA is taking a proactive step by collecting vaping devices and cartridges as we work with our partners to combat this emerging public health threat to the nation’s youth.”
Now in its tenth year, DEA has collected a total of more than 11 million pounds (almost 6,000 tons) of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications through its Take Back Day events. DEA is continuing to register law enforcement partners and collection sites for the upcoming Take Back Day. Over 4,500 registered law enforcement partners will assist with more than 5,250 registered sites and 135 tribal locations across the country, with more being added each day. Collection sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539.
National Take Back Day has received enthusiastic public support since its inception in 2010. Last April, the public turned in 469 tons (937,443pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 6,258 sites operated by the DEA and its 4,969 local and tribal partners.
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For more information about the harms of youth vaping, please visit: https://www.justthinktwice.gov/facts/vaping-what-you-should-know.
The DEA also encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justhinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
Students Across South Carolina to Participate in State’s 18th Annual National Day of Concern & Student Pledge Against Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office, along their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will visit schools across South Carolina to meet with students as a part of South Carolina’s 18th annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence. With a focus on keeping schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are pledging that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.
The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversation among students about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at www.pledge.org.
As it has done since 2002, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reached out to all South Carolina law enforcement agencies and schools to make the pledges available to interested schools. This pledge effort is part 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 following South Carolina schools and law enforcement agencies are participating in this year’s pledge on October 16. For information on events scheduled for a particular school, please contact the specific school or law enforcement agency.
Participating Law Enforcement Agencies
Beaufort Police Department
Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office
Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
Columbia Police Department
Florence County Sheriff’s Department
Greer Police Department
Hampton County Sheriff’s Office
Hardeeville Police Department
Marion County Sheriff’s Department
Myrtle Beach Police Department
Richland County Sheriff’s Department
Summerville Police Department
Participating Schools
Aiken Scholars Academy - Aiken
Battery Creek High School - Beaufort
Beaufort Middle School – Beaufort
Brunson Elementary School - Hampton
Cheraw Intermediate School - Cheraw
Eau Clair High School - Columbia
Edward E. Taylor Elementary School – Richland
Forest Heights Elementary School – Columbia
Ft. Dorchester High School – Dorchester
Greer High School – Greenville
Greg Mathis Charter High School - Charleston
Hardeeville Elementary School - Ridgeland
Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle School – Ridgeland
John P. Thomas Elementary School - Richland
Lady’s Island Middle School – Beaufort
Lake City High School – Florence
Limestone Central Elementary School - Gaffney
Macedonia Middle School – Berkeley
McCormick Elementary School – McCormick
McCormick High School - McCormick
Myrtle Beach Middle School – Horry
Myrtle Beach High School – Horry
Northwest Elementary School – Cherokee
Oakbrook Middle School – Charleston
Ocean Drive Elementary School – Horry
St. James – Santee Elementary Middle School - McClellanville
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Columbia Man Convicted on Federal Dog Fighting ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Santerrio Montinez Smith, age 32, of Columbia, was convicted by a federal jury on a dog fighting charge after a day-and-a-half long trial before United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis. The jury took just two hours to find Smith guilty. This was Smith’s second federal conviction this year; in August, he was convicted after trial for distributing and conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin.
Smith was convicted of Buying, Possessing, Training, Transporting, and Receiving Animals for Purposes of Having the Animals Participate in an Animal Fighting Venture. He faces a maximum possible penalty of 5 years in prison for his conviction.
During the trial, the government called seven witnesses to establish that, between March and September 2017, Smith possessed pit bull terriers for the purpose of fighting the dogs. The evidence presented in court showed that Smith, who already had a 2014 state conviction for dog fighting, kept his fighting dogs at his grandmother’s house on Dubard Boyle Road in Richland County. On September 20, 2017, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF), with assistance from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), executed a search warrant at the residence on Dubard Boyle Road and seized eight pit bull-type dogs. Forensic veterinarian Dr. Cathy Anderson, DVM, examined the dogs and testified that two of the dogs had both scarring and fresh wounds indicative of the dogs having participated in organized dog fighting.
The jury heard testimony from Terry Mills, the Director of Blood Sports Investigations at the ASPCA, who educated them about the underworld of organized dog fighting. Mills, a former law enforcement officer with the Missouri Highway Patrol, testified that he had spent 18 months working undercover in a massive multi-state dog fighting investigation. During that time, he had essentially lived the life of a dog fighter. He described in detail the horrific treatment that dogs are forced to endure to become fighters, as well as what happens when a dog loses a fight. According to Mills, “the losing dog rarely leaves the building.”
Government attorneys then played a dozen recorded phone calls involving Santerrio Smith, his brother Dantrell Smith, their father James “Denny” Green, and other known dog fighters, discussing the dogs and different aspects of dog fighting. During one call, Santerrio Smith and another dog fighter made arrangements for an upcoming fight.
Both Dantrell Smith and James Green have pleaded guilty to federal dog fighting charges. Santerrio Smith, Dantrell Smith, and Green will be sentenced after the court has received and reviewed a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Although dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, it continues to occur in every part of the country and in every type of community. ASPCA experts estimate that there are tens of thousands of dog fighters across the country forcing hundreds of thousands of dogs to train, fight, and suffer for the entertainment and profit of spectators as part of this brutal “blood sport.” In the past nine years, the ASPCA has assisted with approximately 200 dog fighting cases in at least 24 states, and it has impacted through rescue, consultations, and investigations nearly 5,000 victims of dog fighting.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Columbia Police Department (CPD), Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD), Lexington Police Department (LPD), and the South Carolina National Guard. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor and Christopher D. Taylor.
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Saluda Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Brenda Rodgers, age 57, of Saluda, was sentenced to 25 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to filing false tax returns. Rodgers was also ordered to pay $156,536.09 in restitution to the IRS for back taxes. United States District Court Judge Timothy Cain, of Anderson, presided.
Evidence presented to the court established that from 2012 through 2016, Rodgers was an employee of a property and casualty insurance agency located in Columbia. Rodgers embezzled by writing checks from a particular client’s account to herself and forging the name of her supervisor. During the tax years 2012 through 2016, Rodgers wrote herself 325 checks totaling over $337,000. Rodgers concealed her activity by making false entries in the accounting records and on check stubs. She also removed pages from the bank statements that contained photocopies of the checks transferring funds into her bank account. By creating false entries and removing bank records, Rodgers avoided reporting taxable income associated with her embezzlement. As a result, she avoided tax payments totaling $156,536.09.
Rodgers confessed to deputies of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, explaining that she used the money to pay bills, make car payments, and pay off her mortgage.
The United States Internal Revenue Service and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Natacha Gonzalez, age 47, of Weston, Florida, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. Gonzalez was also ordered to pay $61,738.08 in restitution to various insurance companies. United States District Court Judge Timothy Cain, of Anderson, presided.
Evidence presented to the court established that Gonzalez owned a Florida business engaged in medical marketing. Gonzalez brokered false prescriptions for compounded medications and received a profit when they were filled.
Gonzalez identified three doctors and obtained blank prescriptions in their names. Gonzalez forged prescriptions by completing the blank prescriptions with drug names and the doctor’s information. These forged prescriptions were then sent to a South Carolina pharmacy to be filled. The pharmacy then billed insurers for these fraudulent prescriptions and received payment. The pharmacy then sent a portion of the payment to Gonzalez.
“Fraud on our insurance companies raises health care costs for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the integrity of our health care system holding accountable those who seek to enrich themselves through unlawful kickback schemes.”
"This sentencing is the product of a thorough investigation and demonstrates the intent of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our law enforcement partners to root out fraud and corruption involving medical professionals who put patients’ health at risk with criminal intent,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr., DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS will continue to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense by targeting fraud, waste, and abuse that negatively impacts critical programs such as TRICARE."
Agents of the DCIS and the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command Major Procurement Fraud Unit – Atlanta investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Dumping Hazardous Waste into CreekRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michael Greene, age 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to 90 days in federal prison and fined $25,000, after pleading guilty to violating the Clean Water Act. United States District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs presided.
Facts presented to the court showed Greene worked for an environmental company offering hazardous waste disposal services. Greene’s job was to transport the liquid runoff from solid waste at an Eastover landfill to the Florence Wastewater Management Facility. Instead, he illegally dumped the liquid runoff, or ‘leachate,’ into the Leesburg Branch Creek on multiple occasions in mid-2017.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Last of "Operation Gunsmoke" Defendants Plead Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the last of 15 South Carolina defendants with pending charges from the Aiken County investigation dubbed “Operation Gunsmoke” have pleaded guilty in federal court to offenses involving narcotics and firearms.
“Because of the excellent work of the ATF RAGE Unit in this case, over 150 guns have been taken away from criminals and off the streets of Aiken County,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement are working in lockstep to make our neighborhoods safer. I am proud to stand with our partners in South Carolina and Georgia as we fight to take back our communities from dangerous individuals who mix violence and illegal drug distribution.”
The specific guilty pleas before United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs were as follows:
- Christopher Johnson pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
- Quinton White pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and illegally dealing in firearms. White faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison.
- Kevin Sheppard pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Sheppard faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
- Keith Williams pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Williams faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
- Larry Thomas pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Thomas faces a minimum mandatory penalty of five years and a maximum of life in prison.
- Jerome Simmons pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Simmons faces a minimum mandatory term of five years imprisonment and a maximum of life.
- Reihn Jennings pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Jennings faces a minimum mandatory term of five years imprisonment and a maximum of life.
- Ronnie Gartrell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Gartrell faces a minimum mandatory term of five years imprisonment and a maximum of 50 years.
- Heather Collins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Collins faces a minimum mandatory term of five years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years.
- Charlie Carter pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. Carter faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
- Cornelius McKie pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and methamphetamine. McKie faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
- Rashad Lundy, Xavier Mathaney, Ray Baughman, and Benjamin Roper all pleaded guilty to felon in possession of firearms charges, and each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
These guilty pleas are the result of the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Unit, a joint gang/violent crime task force with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, North Augusta Department of Public Safety, Aiken Department of Public Safety, Richmond County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and ATF. Assistance was also provided by the United States Marshals Service, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and the Wheeling, West Virginia Police Department.
Court testimony revealed that the case first started as a result of increasing violence in Aiken County. During the course of the investigation, over 150 guns were seized – most from the hands of felons. Methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine were also seized during the case, including over 4 pounds of methamphetamine in one seizure.
ATF Assistant Special in Charge Brian Mein stated, “The ATF Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement Unit (RAGE), was an idea that became a reality because law enforcement agencies realized we could better serve and protect our communities from violent criminals, firearm traffickers and drug traffickers by working together. The guilty pleas and convictions of individuals associated with the investigation are a great testament to our collaborative efforts. ATF will continue to support the RAGE Unit and offer any and all resources to ensure our communities stay safe. I want to thank the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, North Augusta Department of Public Safety, Aiken Department of Public Safety, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and our ATF Agents for dedication and their outstanding work in this investigation.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorneys Charlie Bourne of the Charleston office and Brook Andrews of the Columbia office are prosecuting the cases.
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Nye’s Pharmacy Settles Allegations of Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Nye’s Pharmacy, of Conway, has agreed to pay the United States $185,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to abide by recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act and filled prescriptions without confirming that they served a legitimate medical purpose. The settlement also requires Nye’s to comply with heightened reporting requirements for a two year period.
“Pharmacies have a duty to ensure that they track and dispense controlled substances in compliance with the law,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Doctors and pharmacists are uniquely positioned to assist in preventing the abuse and diversion of controlled substances. Adhering to the basic rules of recordkeeping and prescription review is essential to helping fight the opioid epidemic.”
This matter was investigated by Dawn Bauer and Adam Roberson of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant United States Attorneys Tina Cundari and James Leventis of the Columbia office.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. Nye’s does not admit wrongdoing or liability.
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Lexington Man Gets 8 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina -- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jason Cory Dix, age 42, of Lexington, was sentenced to 99 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia imposed the sentence. After 99 months, Dix will remain under court-ordered supervision for an additional 3 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in court established that on June 8, 2018, a Deputy with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department was working patrol and turned into a gas station on South Lake Drive in Lexington. As he turned into the parking lot, he saw a black SUV waiting to exit the lot. The driver, later identified as Dix, quickly grabbed his seatbelt and fastened it, and as Deputy Smith drove past Dix he could not see a tag affixed to the rear of the SUV. As Deputy Smith turned around, he saw the SUV traveling at a high rate of speed and then run the red light at the intersection of Southwood Drive and Old Orangeburg Road. The Deputy activated his blue lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop, but Dix failed to stop. Dix reached speeds of 104 mph before colliding with another vehicle, the driver of which was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. When the Deputy searched the SUV, a Ruger P-89 9mm and two loaded magazines were found in the floorboard of the vehicle. Dix admitted that the firearm and ammunition were his.
Federal law prohibits Dix from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior state convictions: a 1996 assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, a 1998 possession of crack cocaine, three counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle in 1999, a 2005 manufacturing methamphetamine and trafficking methamphetamine, and a 2016 manufacturing methamphetamine 2nd offense. Dix was on probation at the time of the June 18, 2018, offense.
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. Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Presents "Fraud Bingo" Game to Help Teach Seniors How to Avoid ScamsRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office supported a Charleston Area Senior Citizens Elder Abuse Awareness event in Charleston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rob Sneed and Matt Austin gave a presentation to senior citizens using “Fraud Bingo” as a platform to provide tips on avoiding scams.
“Like senior citizens everywhere, South Carolina’s growing population of elderly residents is increasingly vulnerable to financial exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “As criminals get more innovative with their elder fraud schemes, we have to get more creative about how to thwart them. Fraud Bingo helps us teach seniors how to recognize scams that could have a devastating impact on their financial wellbeing and encourages them to report potential scams to the Department of Justice.”
Charleston Area Senior Citizens, Inc. (CASC) is a non-profit agency serving Charleston County that provides a wide range of programs, services, and activities that promote health, safety, socialization, and independence for adults age 60 and older in the community. This week, the Senior Companion Program (SCP), sponsored by CASC, held an Elder Abuse Awareness training for volunteers who provide individualized support and assistance to other adults with physical, mental, or emotional impairments, primarily the frail elderly. SCP is part of Senior Corps, which is under the umbrella of the Corporation for National and Community Service. SCP Program Director Berita Martin planned and executed the event.
AUSAs Sneed and Austin gave practical tips to help seniors prevent getting financially exploited. They operated a bingo-type game to teach seniors how to recognize and deal with scams. The game is played just like regular Bingo but with an added twist: Each time the Bingo game caller announces a square, participants read aloud the accompanying message found on their bingo card if they have a match. Each square has a message about fraud, identity theft, or scams. When there is a winner, shouts of “Fraud Bingo” ring out.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office was joined by several partners in its fight against elder fraud, abuse, and neglect. Dave Zoellner of Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Detective Jennie Antonio of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, and a representative from South Carolina Legal Services each provided information to help support and protect the elderly community in Charleston.
To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Elder Fraud program, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/elder-justice-initiative, or the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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Sumter/Pee Dee Reentry Job Fair & Expo to Be Held September 26Read the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office; the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce; SC Works; South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation; South Carolina Department of Social Services; and the United States Probation Office are continuing their statewide partnership to help individuals with prior criminal backgrounds secure employment.
The Fourth Annual Pee Dee Reentry Job Fair & Expo will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2019, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Central Carolina Technical Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, located at 853 Broad Street, Sumter, South Carolina 29150.
This fair, which targets the Pee Dee and eastern region of the State, is one in a series of fairs held annually, including in the Low Country, the Upstate, and the Midlands. The partner organizations believe that these tailored expos, for people with a criminal background, will provide some focused help for the particular obstacles individuals face after returning home, particularly in securing employment.
The first three Pee Dee Reentry Job Fairs were hosted in Florence and Myrtle Beach, where more than 600 job seekers attended over the three years, combined. The opportunity to host this year’s fair in Sumter will continue to expand the availability of resources to new employers and job seekers alike.
Professional dress is required. Job seekers should inquire with Marcos Barahona of the United States Probation Office at [email protected] or George Whitehead at (803) 734-9143, (803) 667-1258, or [email protected] if they have any questions about the event. Employers should contact Nicole Gardner at [email protected].
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Eight Former SCDC Employees Plead Guilty to Federal Crimes Associated with Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Contraband into SCDC FacilitiesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jamal Early, Frank Pridgeon, Miguel Williams, Catherine Prosser, Holly Mitchem, Robert Hill, Ebonynisha Casby, and Sharon Johnson Breeland, all former employees of the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), have pleaded guilty in federal court to offenses associated with accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into SCDC facilities.
“Those who violate the public trust by taking bribes to smuggle dangerous contraband into our prisons endanger inmates, prison staff, and the general public,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at SCDC will not rest until we have rooted out the corruption in our prison system.”
“When a correctional officer brings contraband into an institution, it breaks a public trust and makes the institution and our state unsafe for everyone,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. “They deserve to spend time behind bars.”
The specific guilty pleas are as follows:
- On September 19, 2019, Jamal Early pleaded guilty to Use of an Interstate Facility to Facilitate Bribery. Facts presented in court showed Early, a former correctional officer at Ridgeland Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle tobacco and A-PVP (a synthetic narcotic) into prison. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On September 18, 2019, Frank Pridgeon pleaded guilty to Honest Services Wire Fraud. Facts presented in court showed Pridgeon, a former correctional officer at Kershaw Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle cocaine, marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into prison. Pridgeon faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.On September 13, 2019, Miguel Williams pleaded guilty to Use of an Interstate Facility to Facilitate Bribery. Facts presented in court showed Williams, a former correctional officer at Perry Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle tobacco and liquor into prison. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On September 13, 2019, Catherine Prosser pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Facts presented in court showed Prosser, a former correctional officer at McCormick Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle marijuana into prison. Prosser faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On September 13, 2019, Holly Mitchem pleaded guilty to Use of an Interstate Facility to Facilitate Bribery. Facts presented in court showed Mitchem, a food service worker at Tyger River Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle tobacco and K2 into prison. Mitchem and faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On September 13, 2019, Robert Hill pleaded guilty to Use of an Interstate Facility to Facilitate Bribery. Facts presented in court showed Hill, a horticulture specialist at Tyger River Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle marijuana, K2, tobacco, and cell phones into prison. Hill faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On September 10, 2019, Ebonynisha Casby pleaded guilty to Use of an Interstate Facility to Facilitate Bribery. Facts presented in court showed that Casby, a correctional officer at Lieber Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle a watch and jewelry into prison. Casby faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
- On August 6, 2019, Sharon Johnson Breeland pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Facts presented in court showed that Breeland, a correctional officer at Broad River Correctional Institution, accepted bribes to smuggle methamphetamine into prison. Breeland faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison.
These guilty pleas are the result of a partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Attorney’s Office, and SCDC to investigate the smuggling of contraband into prisons by staff at SCDC. The investigation has uncovered a number of SCDC employees who accepted bribes to smuggle into prison various contraband such as cell phones, narcotics, or tobacco. Previous recent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office of SCDC employees for these types of offenses have resulted in prison time for the offenders.
Assistant United States Attorney William Camden Lewis of the Columbia office is prosecuting the cases.
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Chester Methamphetamine Dealer with History of Crime Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that John Bennett Roof, Jr., a/k/a “Brent Roof,” a/k/a “Ice Man”, age 34, of Chester, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Following the term of imprisonment, Roof will remain on federal supervised release for an additional 3 years. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia imposed the sentence.
Evidence presented in court established that on April 17, 2018, officers with the Chester Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit and a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a traffic stop of a Mazda sedan on West Elliott Street in Chester. Officers noticed a strong odor of marijuana and asked Roof, the only occupant of the vehicle, to step out of the car. A search of the car produced a 9mm handgun loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber; 4.86 grams of methamphetamine; what appeared to be cocaine, hydrocodone, three ecstasy pills, and a jar of marijuana; and $560 in U.S. currency. Roof admitted the firearm and narcotics were his, that he is a methamphetamine dealer, that the pistol was stolen, and that he traded methamphetamine for the firearm.
Federal law prohibits Roof from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior state convictions, including a 2008 conviction for distributions of marijuana, a 2012 conviction for distribution of a controlled substance, and a 2006 conviction for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature related to an incident where Roof threw an infant on the ground, cracking the infant’s scull. In addition, Roof has at least five prior drug possession convictions from 2002 through 2018, and a 2016 conviction for criminal domestic violence. Roof has 16 outstanding charges in the state system. Evidence presented in court also indicated Roof is a validated member of a criminal street gang.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Chester Police Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation 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 Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Rock Hill Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Darrell Henry Adam, age 29, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for manufacturing child pornography.
Facts presented during the hearing showed that Adam recorded his sexual assault of a child. Adam then showed the video to a confidential witness he met through an online dating app. Adam indicated to the confidential witness that he had also provided methamphetamine to the child. After the confidential witness saw the recording, he called the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report the abuse. The York County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI responded to Adam’s residence that day. After questioning Adam, the investigators obtained a search warrant to look through the home and Adam's electronics. Investigators discovered hundreds of child pornography images and videos within Adam's electronic devices, including the abuse video described by the confidential witness. Adam was immediately arrested and has remained in custody during the prosecution of his case.
“The highest calling of the United States Attorney’s Office is to keep South Carolinians safe,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we will relentlessly pursue those who harm our children. Thanks to the hard work of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Attorney General’s Office, Darrell Adam has been brought to justice for the horrific crime he committed.”
"This sentence demonstrates the danger and depravity of these offenses. The immediate response and tremendous work of our personnel and our partners in the York County Sheriff's Office saved children from further harm. The FBI will remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate these matters, find those responsible and protect children," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alphonso Norris.
The investigation was conducted by members of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Greenville Business Owner Convicted in Federal Court of Conspiracy to DefraudRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dana Q. Roush, age 38, of Greenville, was found guilty of a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and equity skimming. A federal jury returned guilty verdicts late Wednesday evening after an hour and a half of deliberation. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson received the verdicts and will sentence Dana Roush and her husband Michael “Bubba” Roush,” who pleaded guilty to the mail fraud conspiracy prior to trial, after reviewing a Presentence Investigation Report which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Dana and Bubba Roush owned and operated Kingdom Connected Investments, LLC (“KCI”). They marketed their company as a Christian organization and promised to create “win-win” situations for home sellers and buyers. They sought homeowners who often owed more on their home than the property was worth, and buyers who lacked good credit and thus could not obtain a conventional mortgage.
KCI promised to relieve the homeowner from the burdens of mortgage payments by “buying” the home and placing a buyer in the home who would rent-to-own. KCI promised to make all the sellers’ mortgage payments. KCI misled sellers to believe that they would be immediately removed from the property’s title and that they were no longer responsible for the original loan.
KCI promised buyers an easy road to homeownership. In exchange for the down payment (typically 10 percent of the purchase price), the buyers were told that they were renting-to-own and building up equity. KCI further concealed from the buyers that a third party—the seller—had an existing mortgage on the property that KCI was responsible for paying.
Rather than using the down payments and rents received from the buyers to pay the sellers’ mortgage payments, Bubba and Dana Roush used the money for personal expenses and to expand their real estate business.
The sellers, many of whom believed they were off the title and note, received foreclosure notices. They learned that KCI, despite having a renter in the home, had stopped paying on the mortgage. Buyers often learned they had no real ownership interest when the home was purchased by a third-party at a foreclosure sale and the new owner started eviction proceedings.
Victims of the scheme suffered myriad injuries including loss of money, dreams, and ruined credit. Special Agent Matt Jacobson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified that KCI received $2.6 million from buyers and only paid $1.4 million in mortgage payments. Approximately 130 properties were involved in the scam, and Agent Jacobson testified that in only two instances did a buyer actually become a homeowner and a seller not face foreclosure and ruined credit.
“Protecting South Carolinians from financial fraud is one of our top priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Dana and Bubba Roush lined their own pockets by preying on distressed homeowners and families hoping to achieve the American dream of home ownership. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals like the Roushes who make false representations to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
“This verdict is the result of excellent work by FBI Special Agents, prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office and investigators from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I commend them all. These schemes, based on absolute greed, prey on the vulnerable by perverting trust. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to track down such schemes and bring those responsible to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris.
In addition to the FBI, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) participated in the investigation. Nadine E. Gurley, Special Agent in Charge at HUD, stated “HUD OIG is dedicated to protecting HUD from individuals seeking to defraud the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program. HUD OIG will continue to partner with other federal, state and local authorities to ensure that corrupt individuals do not use their positions to enrich themselves at the government’s expense. We remain steadfast in working with the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue any unscrupulous individuals who attempt to defraud our programs for their own personal enrichment.”
The maximum sentence the Roushes face is imprisonment for 20 years, a fine of $250,000, and supervised release for three years. Special Assistant United States Attorney Ian Conits and Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jadarius Oshar McCray, 23, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to nearly 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on April 22, 2018, an officer with the Myrtle Beach Police Department responded to a 911 call about a man with a gun. The caller described a subject who approached the caller and asked for money the subject thought the caller owed him. When the caller told the subject he didn’t know the subject and didn’t owe him any money, the subject pointed a firearm at him and threatened him. When a group of women walked through a nearby parking lot, the subject fled on foot. An officer located McCray, who matched the subject’s description, walking in a parking lot near the incident location and told McCray to stop. McCray turned around, looked at the officer, and then disappeared around a building corner for a few seconds before returning into the officer’s view. Officers detained McCray and located an unloaded .380 caliber handgun in the brush directly behind where McCray had disappeared.
Federal law prohibits McCray from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced McCray to 57 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 Myrtle Beach 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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Columbia Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tyrone Mayes, 28, of Columbia, 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 Mayes, a convicted felon, possessed a loaded 9mm handgun, along with ammunition, while fishing on the Santee River in Calhoun County. On October 15, 2017, an officer with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approached the boat where Mayes was fishing to conduct a safety inspection. While conducting the inspection, the Officer asked to see the contents of a drawstring bag that Mayes was holding to check for fish. Mayes did not allow the officer to inspect the bag, but instead jumped into the water with the bag in hand and dropped the bag in the river. Later, DNR assembled a dive team, along with other officers, to search for the bag in the river. The dive team recovered the bag after approximately 2 ½ hours, finding a loaded 9mm handgun, along with ammunition, digital scales, and a cell phone. The gun had been previously reported as stolen from a vehicle. Mayes, a felon, admitted to possessing the gun and ammunition.
Federal law prohibits Mayes from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his felony status. His prior state felony convictions include: 2nd degree burglary (2006), grand larceny (2010), and 2 counts of attempted murder (2013).
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Mayes to 48 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 2-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 and the South Carolina DNR. 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 Beth Warren of the Columbia office and Executive Assistant United States Attorney Charlie Bourne of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Pleads to Federal Charges of Conspiracy to Sex Traffic Minors and Benefiting from Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Donnell Salethian Woodard, a/k/a “Tank,” age 31, of Columbia, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to sex traffic minors and benefiting from sex trafficking of minors.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on November 21, 2017, undercover officers with the Lexington Police Department encountered a minor advertising sex via a website. An undercover officer set up a time to meet with the minor at a local motel, wherein officers observed the minor being dropped off by Woodard and India Tykeyah-Najee Cuyler, a/k/a “Lady Tank,” age 24. Officers placed both Woodard and Cuyler under arrest. The investigation led to another nearby motel where a second minor, who was also involved in the illegal venture, was located. The investigation revealed Woodard and Cuyler were using a cell phone to post advertisements for commercial sex with the minors on a website and taking a portion of the proceeds. Woodard and Cuyler were both charged federally.
Woodard faces of mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000, a trafficking fund special assessment of $5,000, mandatory registration as a sex offender, and at least 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Cuyler previously pleaded guilty in federal court to using a facility of interstate commerce (a cell phone) to entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity and is awaiting sentencing. Cuyler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000, a trafficking fund special assessment of $5,000, mandatory registration as a sex offender, and at least 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence both Woodard and Cuyler after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Lexington Police Department, and the West Columbia Police Department. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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Georgetown Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Clean Water Act ViolationRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Maurice Avent, age 48, of Georgetown, pleaded guilty in federal court to a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act. United States District Court Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the plea and will sentence Avent after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the hearing established that at the end of August 2018, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) received a complaint about raw sewage in the marsh behind a hotel in Georgetown. A duty officer went to the hotel and observed a concrete pump station, also known as a wet well, with a black hose coming out of the top. The hose was attached to a sump pump. Raw sewage was inside the wet well. The hose ran through the back parking lot, over a wooden fence, and into the marsh. The sump pump was running at the time and was discharging sewage into the marsh.
Maintenance man Maurice Avent was contacted and said that the two pumps that normally emptied the well had stopped working. Those pumps routed sewage from the wet well into the city sewage system. When a fix was not immediately available, Avent improvised. He bought the sump pump and directed the hose into the marsh. The hose had been in place for about a week, but the sump pump only activated when needed.
City and state government officials suggested to Avent that he put the hose into the city sewage opening, which is where the original pumps – when working – were routed, and he followed that suggestion.
The maximum penalty faced by Avent is imprisonment for one year, with a potential fine between $2,500 and $25,000 for each day of the violation.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the City of Georgetown investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office, and Emily Evans Limehouse, of Charleston, are prosecuting the case.
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Mother and Uncle Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy Tied to 17 Year Old's DeathRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Lisa Cohen, age 55, and her brother Natale Colitte, age 51, both of North Charleston, were sentenced in federal court for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel, of Charleston, sentenced Cohen to 12 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and sentenced Colitte to 8 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Evidence presented in the case established that Colitte began living with Cohen and her 17-year-old son Sebastian Cohen in late June 2017. Despite knowledge of her son’s substance abuse issues, Cohen routinely purchased heroin and sent Colitte to purchase heroin. Cohen and Colitte would then share the heroin while also allowing Sebastian to use the drugs. In September 2017, Cohen brought Sebastian home after a short stay at a treatment facility. She and Colitte initially began providing Sebastian with methamphetamine in an attempt to dissuade him from using heroin before ultimately sharing heroin with him again.
Despite their source of supply, Brian Lee (who is awaiting sentencing in a separate federal case), telling them that the heroin he was selling them was stronger than what he had previously been giving them, Cohen and Colitte still made no efforts to keep the drugs from Sebastian. On September 25, 2017, Cohen traded jewelry to her source of supply for what she believed was heroin and methamphetamine. The following day, Colitte became unconscious after injecting some of the drugs and was moved from the bathroom to the couch by Cohen and Sebastian. Later that night, Cohen found Sebastian unconscious on the kitchen floor. Sebastian was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics and later testing showed that Sebastian died from an overdose of fentanyl, while also having methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death. Cohen and Colitte proceeded to finish using the remaining drugs the following day.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to stemming the tide of the opioid epidemic through strategic community partnerships as well as the aggressive prosecution of individuals who distribute these deadly drugs without regard for the lives of others,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “That a mother, aided by her brother, would willingly provide such dangerous drugs to her 17-year-old son, ultimately causing his death, is beyond comprehension. The tragic facts of this case demonstrate the dire impact this crisis is having on families across the country. We will continue to fight to provide some measure of justice to families like Sebastian’s, who have lost loved ones much too soon.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “An unprecedented, tragic loss of life in this investigation defines the severity of the prescription opioid crisis this country is experiencing. In this case, the defendants distributed opioids to Sebastian Cohen. Tragically, the drugs led to his death. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to bringing to justice those responsible for fueling this deadly crisis.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston Office is prosecuting the case.
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Lexington Man Gets 10 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina -- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Gabrielle Chase Watts, age 35, of Lexington, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie of Columbia imposed the sentence. After 10 years, Watts will remain under court-ordered supervision for an additional 6 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in court established that on June 4, 2018, deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department used a confidential informant to purchase approximately .38 grams of methamphetamine from Watts. Additional evidence established that on June 11, 2018, officers with the West Columbia Police Department were patrolling McSwain Drive in West Columbia in reference to ongoing complaints of criminal activity. Officers received information that Watts was selling drugs from a hotel in the area. They made contact with Watts as he was knocking on the door of room 111 of the hotel, and Watts advised he was trying to make contact with the person in room 111 because he heard the person was trying to sell televisions. Officers could see a knife clipped on Watts’ pants and seized it for the duration of the contact. When Officers asked Watts if he had anything else on his person, Watts turned his right side away from them, which was consistent with someone trying to conceal something. Officers conducted a pat-down and asked Watts what else he had on him, and Watts said he had a gun in his pocket. Officers retrieved a loaded .32 Charter Arms revolver from Watts’ right front pocket as well as a baggie of approximately 5.5 grams methamphetamine and a digital scale with residue consistent with methamphetamine. Additionally, on July 19, 2018, Lexington County Sheriff’s deputies received information that Watts, who had unserved warrants from Richland County, was staying at a hotel in West Columbia. Deputies located Watts and found approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine in his hotel room.
Federal law prohibits Watts from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior state convictions: a 2006 criminal conspiracy, a 2008 criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, a 2009 strong arm robbery and criminal conspiracy, and a 2016 possession of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Columbia Police Department, 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. Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Sponsors 20th Annual Southern States Victim Assistance ConferenceRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina joined 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands as a co-sponsor of the 20th annual Southern States Victim Assistance Conference. The conference, which took place August 27-29 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, aimed to improve support services for victims of all types of crime by providing training opportunities to federal, state, and local law enforcement, victim assistance professionals, prosecutors, NGOs, and others involved in the criminal justice system.
This year’s theme was Building Partnerships to Expand Our Reach, and the curriculum emphasized a multidisciplinary approach to victim services that is victim-centered, practice-based, and research-informed. Training topics included hate crimes, sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, the opioid crisis, elder abuse, and underserved populations.
The Conference recognized the distinguished service of two South Carolinians during its Crime Victims Service Awards ceremony. Easter LaRoche, Coordinator of Victim Services for the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, was recognized as an outstanding victim advocate. LaRoche supervises eight victim advocates and carries her own caseload, working to make sure that victims and their families who come into contact with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office have their voices heard and their interests protected. The Medical University of South Carolina’s Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, led by Dr. Dean Kilpatrick, Ph.D., was recognized as an outstanding victim services provider. Since its opening in 1977, the Center has provided specialized mental health and clinical services for crime victims and their families and conducted innovative research, education, and training to advance scientific and public understanding of the mental health impacts of exposure to crime.
“One of the highest callings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office is to seek justice for victims of crime, ensuring they have a voice in our legal system and working to find, prosecute, and convict those who have harmed them,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The Southern States Victim Assistance Conference provides invaluable training for the women and men on the front lines of victim services, and we are proud to be a part of it. We are especially proud of the hard work and dedication of Easter LaRoche, Dr. Dean Kilpatrick, and his team at the Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, who have rightfully been recognized for the important work they do to serve crime victims throughout our state.”
Representing the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the Conference’s Executive Committee was Victim Witness Coordinator Clarissa W. Whaley, who also serves as Chair of Program Development. Through the annual Southern States Victim Assistance Conference, Whaley and the Executive Committee support the Department of Justice’s mission to ensure continued education and increased awareness regarding issues affecting victims of crimes.
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SCDC Inmate and Four Others Convicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges After Eight-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Glenn Pernell, 41, his sister Whitney Pernell, 29, and their cousin Fatima Ford, 33, all of Marion County, and Santerrio Smith, 31, and Terrence Dunlap, 25, of Columbia, on drug trafficking charges. These five defendants were charged along with 11 others in a 53-count Superseding Indictment alleging drug conspiracy and related charges.
“This case shows once again that the unfettered use of contraband cell phones enables inmates to continue committing crimes that harm the public even while they are behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In partnership with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, we will continue to fight the public safety threat caused by contraband cell phones in our prisons. We applaud the FBI’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force and the trial team for their tireless work in dismantling this drug trafficking ring, which was responsible for pouring cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin into our neighborhoods.”
According to the evidence, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) began investigating Smith in 2016 for drug trafficking. Wiretaps on Smith’s phones revealed a network of individuals with whom Smith was heavily involved, including Terrence Dunlap, Smith’s “right-hand man,” who stored cocaine and heroin for Smith and who cooked cocaine into crack cocaine for sale on the streets of Richland County. Agents discovered that one of Smith’s primary drug suppliers was Glenn Pernell, an inmate at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville. Pernell used contraband cell phones to communicate with Smith and arrange for deliveries of cocaine and heroin to Smith. Pernell relied on family members and close friends, including his sister Whitney Pernell and his cousin Fatima Ford, to store drugs and money for his drug trafficking organization.
Three other women testified that, while he was incarcerated, Glenn Pernell contacted them through Facebook. After he made a personal connection with the women, Pernell sent each of them gifts and money to help pay their bills. Eventually, Pernell began asking for favors in return; the women began making drug and money runs for Pernell until July 3, 2017, when one of the women was stopped by law enforcement while on her way to deliver a large amount of cocaine to Smith.
After deliberating for nearly a day, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges:
Glenn Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He was also convicted of four counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Whitney Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. She was also convicted of one count of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Fatima Ford was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin.
Santerrio Smith was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of two counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Terrence Dunlap was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of one count of use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.
As a result of the convictions, each of the defendants faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia presided over the trial and will impose a sentence on each of the defendants after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
“Dismantling drug trafficking organizations is a continuing priority for the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris. “These verdicts are the results of the commitment and perseverance of our Agents and partners within the Violent Crime Task Force, to include the dedicated staff of the United States Attorney’s Office. Together, we will continue to work to make South Carolina a safer and better place to live.”
“This is another example of why we need to allow state prisons to jam cell phone signals,” said South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling. “Inmates are physically locked away behind bars, but with a contraband cell phone, they are virtually out amongst us. They are able to continue their criminal activity, and they keep wrecking lives in the process.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Police Department, Sumter Police Department, and the South Carolina National Guard, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor, Benjamin N. Garner, and Christopher D. Taylor of the Columbia office.
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Greenville Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Remario Revonte Austin, age 37, of Greenville, was convicted following a jury trial in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented by the Government during the trial established that on March 22, 2017, a Greenville Police Department Officer stopped the car Austin was driving for a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer located a suspected controlled substance in Austin’s pocket and then conducted a search of the car Austin was driving. Recovered from the glove compartment was a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Laboratory analysis found that Austin’s DNA was located on the trigger of the firearm.
Federal law prohibits Austin from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for drug conspiracy and prior state convictions for unlawful possession of a pistol, possession of a pistol with an obliterated serial number, possession of a weapon, assault and battery, and criminal domestic violence.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg presided over the trial and will sentence Austin after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 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 Max Cauthen of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.
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Orangeburg Man with History of Violence Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Keycon Deonte Keitt, age 32, of Orangeburg, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Following the term of imprisonment, Keitt will remain on federal supervised release for an additional three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in court established that on March 5, 2018, officers with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety were conducting a property check at the Econolodge on John C. Calhoun Drive when they noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside a vehicle. The driver gave consent to search the vehicle and Keitt was seen reaching around the back seat. When officers ordered him to stop reaching and to exit the vehicle, a Taurus 9mm pistol was recovered from the area where Keitt was sitting, and Keitt admitted to ownership of the loaded 9mm pistol. An additional loaded magazine was recovered from inside Keitt’s right pant leg.
Keitt entered a guilty plea and did not contest an enhanced sentence based on his multiple prior felony convictions and because the firearm was used in connection with another felony conviction, possession of methamphetamine.
In handing down the maximum sentence provided by the statute, United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, considered evidence from a pre-sentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office and an affidavit of ATF Special Agent Richard Brown that indicated Keitt had a history of firearm-related violence and threats. According to the report and affidavit, over a 14-year period Keitt was involved in nine incidents involving a shooting or a threatened shooting, including incidents in which four victims were shot and at least 10 victims were threatened with a shooting. The report and affidavit also indicated Keitt was involved in four shootings or threatened shootings in 2018 involving women and children.
The U.S. Probation Report also indicated Keitt had operated under multiple aliases, social security numbers, and birth dates.
Federal law prohibits Keitt from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior state convictions: a 2004 burglary conviction; a 2005 possession of a stolen vehicle conviction; a 2006 conviction for threatening the life of a public official, where he threatened a local police officer with retaliation for an arrest; 2006 convictions for breaking into vehicles and possession of a stolen vehicle; a 2007 assault conviction related to a shooting in Orangeburg; two 2008 convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm; and 2008 convictions for criminal domestic violence, assault and battery, and malicious injury to private property for an incident where he struck and then threatened to shoot two women before breaking a window out of one victim’s vehicle; a 2008 conviction for malicious injury to private property; and two 2011 convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for an incident where he shot two victims and was sentenced to seven years in state prison. Keitt was released from state prison in August 2018 and arrested for firearm-related violence and threats in the Spring of 2019.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation 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 Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Thirty-Three G-Shine Gang Members and Drug Trafficking Associates Plead Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that less than nine months after 33 Horry County and Myrtle Beach drug traffickers were indicted based on a federal wiretap investigation into the G-Shine/SMG gang, all 33 have pleaded guilty and are being sentenced in federal court.
“When we lock arms with our local, state, and federal agencies to get the most violent offenders off our streets, our communities notice an immediate and sustained positive impact,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In the first half of 2017, there were 14 homicides in Horry County. After the Operation Rise and Shine takedown, that number dropped to three homicides in the first half of this year. Robberies and aggravated assaults have also noticeably declined. This case demonstrates the effectiveness of the Project Safe Neighborhoods model, and we will continue to replicate it across the state as we combat violent crime and the opioid epidemic.”
The evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian in court hearings reflects that each of the defendants named in the indictment were members and/or associates of a drug trafficking organization known by the name “G-Shine,” formerly known as Gangster Killer Bloods. G-Shine is a Bloods Gang set that evolved from the United Blood Nation in the late 1990s. G-Shine originated in the New York/New Jersey area and migrated along the east coast and now has sets, or sub-groups, in multiple states including New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Shine Money Gang is a sub-set of G-Shine that is based in the Longs, South Carolina, area. G-Shine’s gang members and associates engage in the sale of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, crack cocaine, and other substances, and use firearms to defend themselves and their criminal enterprise. The evidence reflects that multiple overdoses are attributed to the drugs this gang distributed. This group was specifically pursued for federal prosecution because local law enforcement identified it as one of the most problematic gangs in Horry County.
Authorities used a number of investigative techniques to obtain the evidence needed to secure convictions against this group, including controlled purchases of narcotics, undercover surveillance, interviews of confidential human sources, and a court-authorized wiretap. The investigation was a multi-year, collaborative effort by several local and state agencies, including the Horry County Police Department, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Conway Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The wiretap investigation was quarterbacked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in concert with the other agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Everett McMillian and Justin Holloway are prosecuting the case with support from the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Several defendants pleaded guilty within weeks of being arrested during the December 12, 2018, takedown of the organization that involved approximately 125 agents from 12 different law enforcement agencies in and around South Carolina. The final two defendants pleaded guilty on July 22, 2019, just days before their jury trial was set to begin in Florence. Twenty-six of the defendants have already been sentenced—with several of the organization’s leaders and suppliers receiving sentences of 10 years or more in federal prison, as follows:
- Christopher Kayvon Giddens, of Longs, sentenced to 198 months
- Kennis Lorenzo Willard, of Longs, sentenced to 121 months
- Aaron Delond Stanley, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 120 months
- Farentino Santonia Green, of Conway, sentenced to 120 months
- Christopher Lamont Pino, of Little River, sentenced to 120 months
- Trey Levert Cox, of Poplar, sentenced to 120 months
- Richard Earl Hemingway, Jr., of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 108 months
- Rashea Omar Jenerette, of Poplar, sentenced to 84 months
- Shaquille Anthony Gore, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 84 months
- Ralph Cleodus Willard, Jr., of Little River, sentenced to 72 months
- Cory Antwan Pertell, of Loris, sentenced to 60 months
- Glen Garrick Holley, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 60 months
- Crystal Nicole Dickey, of Little River, sentenced to 54 months
- Dennis Tyron Chestnut, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 46 months
- Montea Daryel Myers, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 41 months
- Marcus Antonio Hemingway, of Longs, sentenced to 36 months
- Donte Raquan Xavier Livingston, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 36 months
- Jada Teal Abril Pyatt, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 36 months
- Myland Castelle Davis, of Conway, sentenced to 30 months
- Xavier Jermaine Horne, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 30 months
- Eddie Mario Jones, of Myrtle Beach, sentenced to 30 months
- Wendy Elaine Blue, of Longs, sentenced to 30 months
- Kalaera Marie Gee, of Aynor, sentenced to 21 months
- Blake Lashay Evans, of Longs, sentenced to 18 months
- Terrance Damon Richardson, Jr., of Longs, sentenced to 12 months
- Katelyn Anne Stetler, of Little River, sentenced to Time Served
The remaining defendants will likely be sentenced in the coming weeks.
“We truly believe that public safety is a shared responsibility, and this case is a perfect example,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “The efforts of all agencies involved in this case, and the support of the U.S. Attorney and those assisting in the coordination and prosecution, continue to impact the reduction of crime in the Myrtle Beach area. Year to date, Myrtle Beach has had a 14% reduction in Part I crimes, and we attribute this to the ongoing dedication of our team, the partnerships with our local, state and federal agencies, and our community working together to identify those individuals polluting our community with these behaviors. The collaborative enforcement and prosecution effort to address this has been impactful. We are continuously working internally and with our partners to fight the battle on crime. Our message is clear: Don’t come to our area to commit crimes, because you will be caught.”
This prosecution is just one element of a continued and increased focus on stopping violent crime and eradicating the sources of supply of dangerous opioids and other illegal narcotics in the Myrtle Beach area, in Horry County, and across South Carolina. 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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Additional information about this case can be found on the docket of the United States District Court, Criminal Case Number 4:18-CR-1080.
Rock Hill Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Richard Darryl Moon, age 55, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the York County Sheriff’s Department was notified by an online gun distributor after Moon, a felon, had attempted to sell a SKS rifle online. That, coupled with information that Moon was selling firearms from his residence in Rock Hill, led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit to open an investigation. Two undercover buys of firearms were made from Moon at his residence in September 2016. During those undercover buys, Moon was seen with assault rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Thereafter, in October 2016, a federal search warrant was executed upon Moon’s residence, where agents recovered four rifles, a shotgun, two handguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Agents also recovered a handgun from Moon’s truck. Moon, a felon, admitted to buying and selling firearms for six years, both online and in person.
Moon is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition. His prior state convictions include: possession of cocaine (1988), driving under the influence 3rd offense (1996), criminal domestic violence (2002), disorderly conduct (2002), criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature (2002), and accessory after the fact of murder (2004).
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia sentenced Moon to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 2-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. In light of Moon’s current medical condition, the court allowed Moon to delay his report date to federal prison until the fall.
The case was investigated by ATF and the York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. 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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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Selling "Speedball" That Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that James Latron Sumter, a/k/a “T”, age 35, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine and heroin, the use of which resulted in serious bodily injury or death. Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted Sumter’s plea and imposed the sentence.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is locking arms with our state and local partners in the fight to end the opioid epidemic in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Locally, we are assisting our partners in Myrtle Beach and Horry County by working hand-in-hand with their narcotics and homicide detectives to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who deal these deadly drugs. Together, we are holding accountable the men and women introducing this poison into the Grand Strand and across South Carolina.”
At the change of plea and sentencing hearings, Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian presented evidence that reflects Sumter was contacted on December 29, 2017, by co-conspirator Charles Rayford Hunt, Jr., who was seeking to purchase what is commonly called a “speedball”—a potent combination of cocaine and heroin—for $100 for a female acquaintance of Hunt’s. Hunt met the female while working as an Uber driver and had a short-lived romantic relationship with her for two days prior to this incident. As reflected in text messages between Hunt and Sumter and statements from witnesses, Hunt drove the female victim to an apartment where Sumter provided the drugs sometime after 9:00 pm. Hunt then drove the victim to his apartment where she snorted the drugs and immediately thereafter showed signs of an overdose. Upon seeing her reaction, Hunt contacted Sumter and returned to pick him up. Not wanting to take the overdosing victim home to her father with whom she lived, Hunt and Sumter drove around and eventually stopped at Magoo’s Sports & Spirits to play pool sometime after midnight—leaving the overdosing victim passed out in the back seat of the car. After playing pool, Hunt took Sumter back to the apartment complex and drove around the Myrtle Beach area with the victim still passed out in the back seat of his car. Eventually, Hunt realized the victim had quit breathing at which time he “panicked” and dumped her body in a wooded area just across the North Carolina border during the early morning hours of December 30. Hunt then drove back to Myrtle Beach, throwing the victim’s cell phone into the intercostal waterway on the way back. He took the victim’s purse and belongings to another conspirator, Jose Anthony Ortiz, Jr., who destroyed many of the victim’s personal items in a burn pit at Hunt’s request.
On December 31, Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration learned of the incident. Working together, the FBI and DEA quickly collaborated with detectives from the Horry County Police Department and Columbus County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina to unravel the scheme. Hunt was located, promptly confessed his role in the event, and led officials to the victim’s body. An autopsy and toxicology report later confirmed the victim died as a result of a heroin and cocaine overdose. Further investigation uncovered that Sumter had conspired with several other individuals in the Myrtle Beach area during 2017 to distribute cocaine and heroin on other occasions. The evidence reflects that another overdose in January 2017 may also be attributable to heroin Sumter provided. This second victim was revived by first responders using Narcan, and he has since reportedly recovered from his addiction.
Hunt and Ortiz were prosecuted for their roles in covering up the overdose. Both men pleaded guilty and are currently serving sentences in federal prison. Sumter has been in custody since he was arrested on this charge in August 2018.
This case is the result of a concentrated effort to disrupt and dismantle the flow of deadly opioids into the Myrtle Beach area. By partnering with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who deal in illegal narcotics, especially those individuals who distribute opioids that cause serious bodily injury or death to others.
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Columbia Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Shamari Delresse Jones, a/k/a “Amari,” age 34, and Jokari T. Jones, age 36, both of Columbia, were each sentenced to federal prison. Shamari Jones was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Jokari Jones was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and to misprison of a felony.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on the evening of July 29, 2017, officers with the Columbia Police Department were on routine patrol on West Beltline Boulevard and observed Shamari Jones driving. They knew that his driver’s license was under suspension. After confirming that his license was suspended and noticing that the license plate on the vehicle came back to a completely different vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop. Shamari Jones, the driver, and the passenger both exited the vehicle and Shamari Jones was observed with a baggie in his hands. Shamari Jones fled on foot as the officers approached, but he was apprehended and the baggie was found to contain rounds of .44 caliber ammunition. While the officers were pursuing Shamari Jones, the passenger left in the vehicle. Shamari Jones was arrested on state charges.
The following day, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office responded to Shamari Jones’ mother’s home in Heath Springs in reference to a shooting. No one was injured, but while at the home, a number of firearms and rounds of ammunition were recovered by law enforcement, including a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle with an extended magazine and two 12 gauge shotguns.
The investigation revealed that immediately after Shamari Jones’ arrest for being in possession of the ammunition, his brother—Jokari Jones—and another individual moved the firearms from Shamari Jones’ Columbia home to his mother’s home in an effort to keep law enforcement from finding the firearms. At the time of federal offense, Jokari Jones was on state bond from an unrelated state offense two weeks earlier and was on GPS monitoring.
The investigation also showed that in October 2015, Shamari Jones, a known gang member, had attended the CeaseFire Columbia Offender Notification meeting in which he, and others, were advised by law enforcement officials that should they be found in possession of firearms and ammunition, their case would be considered for federal prosecution in light of their extensive prior records.
Federal law prohibits Shamari Jones from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior South Carolina state convictions, including: assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, where he shot an individual (2004); possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of cocaine (2009); assault with intent to kill, where he shot at a group of individuals and a female was shot in the crossfire (2 counts) (2009); possession of cocaine (2010); and possession with intent to distribute marijuana (2015).
Federal law also prohibits Jokari Jones from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior South Carolina state convictions, including: unlawful carrying of a pistol (2003); assault with intent to kill, wherein he shot at an individual (February 2005); assault with intent to kill (2 counts) and unlawful carrying of a weapon, wherein he shot at an individual and was later apprehended in possession of a handgun with an obliterated serial number (March 2005); criminal domestic violence (2006); unlawful carrying of a weapon (2006); unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence (2012); carrying weapons on school property, wherein he was observed on video surveillance shooting a firearm at an individual on the premises of Arden Elementary School (2012); and unlawful carrying of a weapon, wherein he was found in possession of a firearm with a loaded high capacity extended magazine (2016).
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia sentenced Shamari Jones to 84 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Lewis sentenced Jokari Jones to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by ATF, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the 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 Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Former Columbia Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Randall G. Scott, age 50, of Richland County, has entered a guilty plea in federal court to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has received and reviewed a sentencing report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.
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 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 maximum penalty Scott faces for this charge is 10 years in federal prison and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and 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 Attorneys William K. Witherspoon and T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts West Columbia Man of 10 Counts of Drug Distribution and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that after a three-day trial and two hours of deliberation, a federal jury found Dayquan O’Neal Phillips, age 23, of Lexington County, guilty of 10 counts: four counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, three counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, two counts of Distribution of Cocaine, and one count of Distribution of Cocaine and Marijuana. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia presided over the trial and will sentence Phillips after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that on four separate occasions between May 10, 2018, and May 25, 2018, Philips sold or planned to sell more than $10,000 worth of firearms and distribution-level amounts of cocaine and marijuana to a confidential informant (CI) working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case began as a proactive investigation after ATF determined Phillips was selling drugs and firearms together out of Lexington County. ATF captured each of the sales with audio and video surveillance equipment.
On May 10, 2018, Phillips sold 2.55 grams of cocaine, 64 grams of marijuana, and a 9mm pistol. One day later, Phillips sold 27.3 grams of cocaine and a loaded .357 magnum revolver pistol. About one week later, on May 17, Phillips sold 57 grams of cocaine and a loaded .380 Bersa pistol. Finally, on May 25, Phillips planned to sell 57 grams of cocaine and a .380 Jiminez pistol, but moments before the sale, Phillips and the CI planned and executed a fake robbery of the CI, after which Phillips and the CI planned to split the more than $4,600 of ATF-provided funds the CI was carrying.
Based on their monitor of the surveillance equipment, ATF and local law enforcement responded to the fourth sale fearing the CI had been robbed and kidnapped. Agents soon recovered the surveillance equipment on a roadside near Phillips’ residence and uncovered the plans for the fake robbery. The CI was then federally indicted and arrested for theft of government funds. More than $4,000 in U.S. currency was recovered at Phillips’ arrest.
Taken together, Phillips sold or planned to sell 143.5 grams of cocaine, 64 grams of marijuana, and four firearms to the ATF CI. In addition, at the time of his arrest, Phillips was seeking a Mac-10 pistol and an AK-47 to sell to the ATF CI.
At trial, the Government presented video and audio recordings of each sale and the fake robbery; the drugs, firearms, and ammunition Phillips sold or planned to sell; and equipment Phillips used in his drug trafficking operation. The jury also reviewed text messages from Phillips’ phone that corroborated his trade in drugs and firearms. Witnesses included agents from the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Lexington County Police Department, as well as Phillips and the CI.
Federal law prohibits Phillips from possessing firearms and ammunition based on a prior state felony drug distribution conviction and a state unlawful carrying of a pistol conviction.
For the Felon in Possession of a Firearm convictions, Phillips faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release. For the Distribution of Cocaine convictions, Phillips faces up to 20 years in federal prison. For the Distribution of Marijuana conviction, Phillips faces up to 10 years in federal prison. For the Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime convictions, taken together, Phillips faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison, consecutive to any additional sentence he receives.
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.
The case was investigated by agents and officers of the ATF, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Batesburg-Leesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys William Camden Lewis and Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Upstate Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty in Federal Court After Offering Cellmate $10,000 to Kill Prosecutor and WitnessRead the Press Release
Spartanburg, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Detric McGowan, aka “Fat,” 46, of Piedmont, has entered a guilty plea in federal court 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. United States District Donald Coggins of Spartanburg accepted the guilty plea and will impose McGowan’s sentence after the United States Probation Office prepares a presentence report.
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, working with others, was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Upstate of South Carolina, primarily in Laurens and Greenwood Counties, that 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.
Recently, 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 that McGowan had become frustrated with his legal position and desired 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 that he had put in motion.
On the drug and obstruction counts, McGowan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life.
The drug case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Moorman, Deputy Criminal Chief for the Narcotics Unit, is prosecuting the drug case.
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 and Katie Stoughton are prosecuting the threat case, along with Assistant United States Attorney Jason Peavy, Deputy Criminal Chief for the White Collar Unit.
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Two Sentenced to Federal Prison for U-Visa FraudRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Healy announced today that Miguel Bautista-Manuel, age 41, of Mexico, and Travis Lee Nixon, age 29, of Greenville, were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by attempting to fraudulently acquire “U-Visas” for Bautista-Manuel, Jose Pineda-Hernandez, age 38, of Honduras, and Oscar Pineda-Martinez, age 24, of Honduras. Senior United States District Court Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville sentenced Bautista-Manuel to 8.5 months in federal prison and Nixon to 12 months in federal prison. Pineda-Martinez was previously sentenced to time-served, and Pineda-Hernandez is awaiting sentencing.
U-Visas, so named from the statutory provision authorizing their issuance, are intended to provide lawful immigration status to victims of certain crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and who are willing to assist law enforcement in the prosecution of the criminal activity. The number of U-visas that can be issued each year is statutorily limited.
Facts presented in court established that Bautista-Manuel engaged Nixon to act as the perpetrator of a staged armed robbery of which Bautista-Manuel, Pineda-Hernandez, and Pineda-Martinez were the purported victims. The three reported the staged robbery to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, which devoted resources to investigating the robbery. Bautista-Manuel, Pineda-Hernandez, and Pineda-Martinez then used the purported armed robbery, and their assistance in its investigation, as the basis for fraudulent petitions filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking U-Visas.
“U-Visas play an important role in helping victims of serious crimes obtain justice,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Those who commit fraud to obtain them divert already limited law enforcement resources and deprive true victims with a sincere willingness to assist law enforcement of legal immigration benefits.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Healy added, “Fraud like that committed by these defendants not only delays the issuance of U-Visas to legitimate crime victims but also wastes limited law enforcement resources.”
Agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Greenville investigated the case, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys David Stephens and Max Cauthen, both of the Greenville office, prosecuted the case.
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Two Money Mules Plead Guilty in Federal Court for Role in Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Andreika Mouzon, age 29, of Kingstree, and Flossie Brockington, age 29, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to federal charges involving a scheme to defraud and extort military service members. Mouzon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and Brockington pleaded guilty to money laundering.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Mouzon and Brockington were involved in a scheme to extort and defraud Department of Defense service members. According to evidence presented to the court, during the course of the scheme, inmates posed as females on dating apps and began communicating with service members. Posing as the females, the inmates sent nude photographs of young females to the service members and solicited nude photographs in exchange. The inmates then posed as the females’ father or impersonated law enforcement, claiming that the service member was in possession of child pornography and threatening to have him arrested if he did not pay money. The inmates utilized money mules, including Mouzon and Brockington, who would receive the extorted funds via wire transfer directly from the service members, then transfer the money to inmates and their associates.
During the course of the conspiracy, Mouzon was responsible for transferring $20,421.73 of extorted funds from at least 11 service members, and Brockington was responsible for transferring $14,465.00 of extorted funds from at least eight service members.
Mouzon and Brockington both face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of $250,000.00. United States District Judge David C. Norton, of Charleston, accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence Mouzon and Brockington after receiving and reviewing a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, United States Marshals Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office is prosecuting the case.
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SCDC Prisoner Sentenced to Consecutive Federal Prison Term for Role in Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jimmy Dunbar, Jr., age 37, of Bishopville, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Dunbar was involved in a scheme to extort and defraud Department of Defense service members. During the course of the scheme, Dunbar posed as females on a dating app and began communicating with service members. Posing as the females, Dunbar sent nude photographs of young females to the service members and solicited nude photographs in exchange. Dunbar then posed as the females’ father, claiming that the service member was in possession of child pornography and threatening to have him arrested if he did not pay money. The service member then transferred funds electronically to Dunbar’s associates. Dunbar utilized money mules, including a codefendant, who would receive the extorted funds via wire transfer directly from the service members, then transfer the money to Dunbar and other inmates. From September 2016 to January 2017, Dunbar received approximately $29,598.00 in extorted funds, which investigators traced to at least 17 victims. At the time of the scheme, Dunbar was serving a 30-year sentence for murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and arson at the Lee Correctional Facility.
United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Dunbar to a total of 46 months in federal prison, to be served consecutive to the 30-year state sentence he is currently serving. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, United States Marshals Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department Announce Public Service Campaign to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon, along with Columbia Police Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, announced their latest effort to reduce, prevent, and deter violent gun crimes in the City of Columbia and Richland County.
In the Greenview community of North Columbia, the three law enforcement agencies and community partners unveiled a public service campaign designed to comprehensively reduce violent crime while making a lasting impact. Last year, the United States Department of Justice unveiled Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) 2.0, the centerpiece of the Department’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. The initiative fosters safer neighborhoods through sustained reduction in violent crime, so families, especially children, can thrive in safety and without the fear of crime.
“We did not choose Greenview because it has the worst problem with violence,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “We chose it because we believe it is a community that recognizes the need to, and cares enough to, be vigilant about what is going on around you. The people of North Columbia have the right to live in peace, free from chaos and danger. We have a responsibility to make sure that you don’t have to hide in your homes.”
Chief Holbrook said, “We have adopted an intelligence-led, data-driven approach to identifying where the crime is occurring, when it is occurring, and who is most likely responsible. It’s not just putting cops on dots of crime. But putting a face with the dots and tasking the best law enforcement resources possible to bring those offenders to count.” He added, “We need our neighbors to help us. Harden your neighborhoods. Lock your cars, secure your firearms, report suspicious activity. Report all crime. Know your neighbors and, most importantly, know your police officers and deputies.”
Sheriff Lott said, “We’re all in this together. It’s not just a City thing, it’s not a County thing. It’s our thing. This is nothing new for us to come together and work. We’re going to come together and we’re finding more and more ways of coming together to work as one. Just like this Greenview community, it may be in the City of Columbia but it’s also in Richland County. These people who live here know, we will be here too. You will not only see the City cars; you will see the County cars. We listen to you. You tell us what’s going on in your neighborhood.”
One of PSN’s major goals is to implement precision policing, in which law enforcement partners work to identify neighborhoods with a violent crime problem, identify and arrest violent and repeat offenders, then hold them accountable through federal prosecution and federal prison time.
Another part of the PSN initiative is crime prevention. This year, with the financial assistance of Department of Justice grant funds, Columbia and Richland County citizens will start seeing and hearing public service announcements (PSAs) on local television and radio stations, on billboards, and on a Comet bus to drive home the importance of reducing, preventing, and deterring criminal activity.
The overall effort to lower crime cannot be accomplished solely through law enforcement arrests. Partnerships with a heightened emphasis on community engagement can make a lasting impact and pave the way for safer communities.
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For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit the following websites:
www.Justice.gov/psn, www.ColumbidPD.net, www.RCSD.net
Summerville Man Who Threatened Restaurant Staff Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michael Stephen Strawn, 35, of Summerville, was sentenced to over four 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 in March 2018, officers of the North Charleston Police Department responded to a disturbance at a North Charleston restaurant. Officers learned that Michael Steven Strawn had threatened to kidnap an employee and make her disappear after a credit card was declined. Police caught up with Strawn at another restaurant, where a bystander warned an officer that Strawn had a gun. The officer drew his weapon and ordered Strawn to show his hands. When Strawn pulled his hands from his pocket, a loaded .40 caliber Glock fell to the ground, and Strawn was arrested.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Strawn to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-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 North Charleston 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 Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Public Service Announcement Campaign | Violent Gun Crime Reduction PartnershipRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina -- The United States Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), will unveil the latest effort to reduce and prevent violent gun crimes in the City of Columbia and Richland County.
Under the Project Safe Neighborhoods national program, the three law enforcement agencies have developed a community outreach and public service campaign to reduce repeat violence and prevent and deter future violence from occurring.
U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon and representatives from each agency will outline the campaign and explain the overall impact it will have on citizens and their valued communities.
When: Thursday, July 25, 2019 | 10:00 a.m.
Where: 6100 David Street (Intersection of David and Luke Streets)
The Greenview Community – outdoor event
*Note to Media: Several visual aids will be available*
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Former South Carolina Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Charity Fraud Scheme Targeting Marine Corps FamiliesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that John Shannon Simpson, age 44, of Lee County, Florida, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud. United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Simpson to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release to follow. This sentence will run consecutively with a nine-year state sentence that Simpson is serving in Florida. Simpson was also ordered to pay restitution of $141,709.44 to the victims of his fraud.
Evidence presented to the court established that in May 2014, Simpson founded a charitable organization entitled “Marines and Mickey” and served as the President. The purpose of the charity was to provide funds to selected United States Marines Corps (USMC) service members and their families to defray their costs of visiting the Walt Disney Resorts. The charity was also supposed to provide funds to the families of newly graduated Marines to defray the families’ costs of attending USMC boot camp graduations, including some held at Parris Island, South Carolina, and San Diego, California.
The charity claimed in its promotions and requests for money that 100% of the donations went directly to Marines and their families through the charity’s programs. The charity actively solicited donations on and near the USMC base in Parris Island, South Carolina, and elsewhere. The remainder of monies raised by the charity were a combination of private and corporate donations to the charity, including by USMC recruits and recent boot camp graduates.
While acting as the charity’s President and in support of fundraising for the charity, Simpson falsely represented himself as a retired career Marine with as much as 20 years of service, a retired Master Sergeant, a former Drill Instructor, and a Recon Marine.
In fact, Simpson spent less than five years in the Marine Corps. He entered active duty on June 28, 1993. He was absent without leave (AWOL) from June 10, 1996, to June 19, 1997. The highest rank he achieved prior to going AWOL was Lance Corporal/E-3, and his operational specialty was Basic Disbursing Clerk. Simpson was found guilty at a Special Court Martial for violation of Article 86 (Absence without leave) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, was reduced in rank to Private/E-1, and was given a Bad-Conduct Discharge, which was effective on May 5, 1998.
By misleading donors and volunteers about his military background, Simpson was able to add credibility to his solicitations for money.
The charity was in operation from May 2014 through 2016, and it received approximately $481,000 in donations during that time-period. However, despite Simpson’s claims that 100% of the donations would go to Marines and their families through the charity’s programs, only about $90,000—or about 19% of the donations—were used for charitable purposes. Simpson diverted the remainder of the monies in the charitable accounts, approximately $391,000, for his personal use and enrichment.
The primary victim of Simpson’s scheme was the mother of a United States Marine killed in the active shooter attack at a military center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 2015. Simpson fraudulently induced the Gold Star mother and others to give Simpson’s charity about $131,000, all in honor of the Gold Star mother’s son, including $75,000 of the Gold Star mother’s own money and $25,000 that the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga donated at the direction of the Gold Star mother.
The charity also held a fundraising benefit in New York to raise money for a Disney World trip for a Marine family whose minor daughter was terminally ill. The charity advertised all proceeds from the event would go to the minor daughter and her family for a Disney World trip, and to help pay for the family’s needs. Because the minor daughter died prior to the fundraiser, the trip intended for the minor daughter and her family, including her father who is an active duty U.S. Marine Corps Drill Sergeant, was donated to another family at the request of the minor daughter’s family. However, the charity, after paying all of the expenses of the fundraiser and sending the other Marine family to Disney World, still had about $3,200 of donations left over. Simpson kept that money for himself instead of giving it to the minor daughter’s family.
Additionally, during 2015 and 2016, Simpson made unauthorized withdrawals from the bank accounts of at least seven active-duty Marines who had recently graduated from boot camp. Simpson convinced them to allow him to make recurring withdrawals from their accounts in nominal amounts to support the charity. Instead, he used their debit card numbers to make unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts in a combined total amount of more than $5,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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DeBordieu Bookkeeper Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Shirley Watson, age 43, of Georgetown, was sentenced in federal court for her role in a multi-year scheme to embezzle funds from her employer, two family-owned real estate businesses. United States District Court Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Watson, who has no prior criminal record, to 18 months in federal prison.
In January 2019, Watson pleaded guilty to a three-count Information, admitting to two counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Tax Evasion. She admitted that beginning in 2011 and continuing up through 2016, she used her position as a bookkeeper to divert hundreds of thousands of dollars in company funds to herself. She exploited her access to company accounts, writing checks to herself and forging her employer’s signature. She also admitted that she neither reported the income to the Internal Revenue Service nor paid any related taxes.
Upon her release from prison, Watson must pay restitution in the amount of $345,337.43 to the victims and $82,825 to the IRS. Watson will also serve a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.
The case was investigated by special agents with the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Matt Austin of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Myrtle Beach Drug Boss Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison on Oxycodone Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Leroy Anthony Griffin, 31, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to over 9 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute oxycodone.
Evidence presented to the court showed that this case involved a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in which Griffin, and others at his direction or on his behalf, presented counterfeit and forged prescriptions for oxycodone tablets to various pharmacies in South Carolina and elsewhere. During the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) seized multiple counterfeit and forged oxycodone prescriptions which were linked to the DTO. DEA and DHEC also interviewed numerous persons who were involved in the DTO and who identified Griffin as the boss, man in charge, and source of supply for oxycodone, at whose direction they filled counterfeit and forged oxycodone prescriptions.
On January 31, 2018, agents and officers executed a federal search warrant at a house in Conway. During execution of the search warrant, agents and officers found Griffin in the house hiding in a closet under a pile of clothes. Agents and officers seized from the house two laptops as well as multiple cell phones containing text messages related to drug distribution, pictures of counterfeit prescriptions, and incoming calls from various pharmacies. Agents linked the phone numbers of the phones seized to phone numbers printed on the counterfeit prescriptions.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced Griffin to 110 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Drug trafficking organizations like the one run by Leroy Griffin are flooding our streets with highly addictive prescription opioids like oxycodone,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Dismantling these criminal enterprises and prosecuting those who operate them are critical steps toward loosening the grip of the opioid epidemic on our communities. We are grateful to DEA, DHEC, SLED, and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit for their continued efforts to stop the unlawful diversion and distribution of legitimate prescription drugs.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “The amount of prison time Mr. Griffin received correctly reflects his leadership role as the source of supply for dangerous opioid prescriptions like oxycodone. This sentencing removes yet another dangerous criminal from our streets and sends a clear message to others who may choose to indulge in drug trafficking. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office will relentlessly pursue and ultimately prosecute criminals like Mr. Griffin.”
The case was investigated by the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad and DHEC, assisted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Mt. Pleasant Doctor Found Guilty in Federal Court of Opioid Trafficking After Columbia Pharmacy VisitRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dr. Ronald A. Hargrave, age 60, of Mt. Pleasant, has been convicted of Illegal Distribution of Controlled Substances after a four-day jury trial in federal court in Charleston. Senior United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour of Charleston presided over the trial and will sentence Hargrave at a later date.
Evidence presented at trial established that Hargrave accompanied a female patient to the Walgreen’s pharmacy on Devine Street in Columbia around 11:30 pm on Saturday, May 2, 2015, to fill a prescription for Xanax. Xanax is a controlled substance. The pharmacist on duty, noticing that the prescription, patient, doctor, and doctor’s office were all out-of-town, questioned the validity of the prescription. Additionally, the pharmacist testified the female patient and Hargrave acted overly familiar, and that she had never seen a doctor join a patient in her pharmacy to present a prescription. She refused to fill it and called SC DHEC the next day to report the activity.
In April 2017, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Investigator Adam Roberson connected the 2015 events to another suspicious after-hours incident involving Hargrave and a female patient. On March 7, 2017, Hargrave had met a different female at the medical clinic in Moncks Corner where he worked. That night, Hargrave had sex with the female at the clinic; in exchange, she received $300 cash and a promise to receive four prescriptions for controlled substances, including Xanax and Oxycodone. Three days later, on March 10, the female presented herself as a patient at the clinic, and Hargrave issued her the painkillers. He was fired within hours.
The seven counts presented by the Government related to these two relationships as well as two other individuals with whom Hargrave established non-medical reasons for writing opioid prescriptions.
“We trust our doctors to first do no harm,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In recent years, Charleston County has distributed a higher concentration of opioid pain pills than any other county in the nation, and in 2017, the county had more opioid overdose deaths than any other county in the state. As Dr. Hargrave’s guilty verdict shows, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously prosecute medical providers who ignore the law—and their ethical obligations—by illegally distributing the deadly drugs fueling this epidemic.”
The maximum penalty Hargrave faces for the Illegal Distribution of Controlled Substances is twenty years in federal prison and/or a fine of $1,000,000.
The case was investigated by Investigator Adam Roberson of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston D. Holliday, Jr. and Matthew Austin prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Orangeburg Man of Two Counts of Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today after a three-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Columbia found Joe Roger Moultrie, age 67, of Orangeburg County, guilty of two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour of Columbia presided over the trial and will sentence Moultrie after receiving and reviewing a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that on August 20, 2015, an Orangeburg County Narcotics agent followed Moultrie to a local laundromat because he suspected that he was dealing narcotics. After watching Moultrie for a short time, he observed what he described as a drug deal. The narcotics agent then turned on his blue lights and attempted to stop Moultrie, who fled in his car while the officer followed him. After traveling a distance, Moultrie stopped his car and immediately got out of the car with his hands in the air and stated, “I ain’t got nothing!” The narcotics officer observed both front seat windows were down and detained Moultrie while another officer searched the roadway in the path of the pursuit. He found cocaine and crack cocaine in the roadway a short distance from the laundromat. Later DNA testing determined that Moultrie’s DNA was on the cocaine. Moultrie was arrested.
On August 28, 2017, an Orangeburg County Narcotics agent received a telephone call that Moultrie was selling drugs in an area in Orangeburg called “The Hill” while driving a red SUV. Narcotics agents went to this area and saw Moultrie parked in the roadway while another person was leaning into the car through the passenger window. The agents went around the block, and when they returned to the area where they saw Moultrie, he had fled. The officers followed Moultrie’s vehicle and observed him committing multiple traffic offenses. Initially, Moultrie refused to stop but after a short chase, he stopped his red SUV. As the officers approached, they observed Moultrie was very nervous and asked if he was having a medical problem. He said no. The agents then deployed a K-9 who alerted to the armrest in Moultrie’s car. During the search of the car, the officers found a prescription pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape containing 16 baggies of crack cocaine and cocaine in the armrest. Again, Moultrie’s DNA was found on the pill bottle, crack cocaine, and cocaine.
The maximum penalty for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine is imprisonment for 30 years and/or a fine of $2,000,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office, and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys William K. Witherspoon and Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Salters Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Travis Chatman, II, 25, of Salters, was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on August 30, 2018, a task force officer with ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) and officers from the Myrtle Beach SWAT Team and Myrtle Beach Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Myrtle Beach. Both Chatman and his girlfriend were present in the room during the execution of the search warrant. During the search, officers located two firearms. One was stolen and the other had an obliterated serial number. Officers also located heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, meth, alprazolam tablets, razor blades, plastic baggies, two scales, $2,650.00 in cash, bond paperwork in Chatman’s name, and multiple cell phones.
United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Chatman to 72 months and one day 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 ATF and the Myrtle Beach Police Department Street Crimes Unit and SWAT Team. 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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South Carolina Coupled Indicted in Scheme Involving Conspiracy and False Statements to Illegally Obtain a U.S. PassportRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina couple was indicted today on charges stemming from their conspiracy to obtain a U.S. passport by falsely claiming they were the parents of a baby from the Philippines and by using false records to apply for a U.S. passport for the baby, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon of the District of South Carolina.
The indictment alleges that in 2014, Gerald Vincent Locker Jr., 46, a former member of the United States Marine Corps, and Stephanie Jean Locker, 24, both of Huger, South Carolina, were stationed in Japan. While in Japan, the couple attempted to circumvent legal adoption processes by asserting that a baby from the Philippines was their own natural born child. Presenting a number of falsified documents to a U.S. Consular Officer, Stephanie Jean Locker applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and in support of her application for a passport for the child, falsely attested that while in the Philippines on vacation, she learned she was pregnant five days before the baby was born.
The matter was presented to the Grand Jury on July 10, 2019. The indictment was returned on July 11, 2019, charging both defendants with one count of conspiracy and Stephanie Jean Locker with one count of making false statements in an application for a passport.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating this case. Trial Attorneys Danielle Hickman and Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Secor of the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.
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Mount Pleasant Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Caused Death and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tyler Scher, age 30, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced in federal court in Charleston after pleading guilty to one count of Distribution of Fentanyl, three counts of Wire Fraud, and three counts of Identity Theft. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston sentenced Scher to 20 years in federal prison, lifetime supervised release, and restitution and forfeiture of $17,599.08. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that in the summer of 2017, Scher befriended the victim, a young woman in her early 20s who had recently moved to Charleston. On July 11, 12, and 13, 2017, Scher attempted to steal money from the victim’s bank account. The victim noticed the attempts and informed the bank of the fraud. The next month, around midnight on August 10, 2017, Scher drove the victim to his heroin dealer and purchased opioids, which turned out to be fentanyl. In the early hours of August 11, 2017, Scher distributed the fentanyl to the victim, which killed her. Then, in August and September 2017, Scher continued to take money from the deceased victim’s PayPal account. In addition to the fraud on this victim, Scher had defrauded two other individuals.
“The facts of this case are some of the more appalling I can recall, and I am reminded of the importance of our justice system and the role it plays in righting wrongs. What a horrendous wrong we witnessed here at the hands of Tyler Scher. Mr. Scher gave this young victim the drugs that killed her, and he exploited her for financial gain both before and after her death,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to bringing to justice those responsible for pedaling deadly drugs into our communities, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Fentanyl dealers take notice: We will hold you accountable for these deaths. As the opioid epidemic claims countless lives across our nation, we will also continue to stand with law enforcement and community leaders to educate the public about the dangers of opioid misuse and to get these deadly drugs off of our streets.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “Synthetic opioids, namely fentanyl, when used on the streets, can sometimes be deadly (as was the case in this investigation). The life of this young lady in her 20s ended abruptly when Tyler Scher provided her with a fatal dose of fentanyl. DEA, its many law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s office are firmly committed to arresting criminals like Tyler Scher who play a role in the destruction caused by the vicious cycle of opioid addiction.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mount Pleasant Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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According to the CDC, 70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017, and opioids were involved in 67% of those deaths. 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 that a 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/.
Former Manning Police Chief Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Theft of Government Funds, Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Gary B. Shaffer, 60, the former Chief of Police in Manning, has pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of federal funds and making a false statement.
Evidence presented to the court established that Shaffer was the Manning Chief of Police until August 2018. On September 12, 2015, Manning police officers performed a traffic stop in which they seized $80,800 from two individuals. That money should have been deposited into a City of Manning bank account with the Bank of Clarendon. On September 19, 2015, Shaffer began making large cash deposits into ATMs. By November 10, 2015, he had deposited approximately $78,514 into his personal accounts by way of cash ATM deposits.
In May 2016, a state court ordered the Manning Police Department to return a portion of the money to the individuals from whom the money was seized on September 12, 2015. On May 23, 2016, three official checks were issued from Shaffer’s personal accounts. The checks were made out to the attorney who represented the individuals to whom the money was supposed to be returned, and their total value was the exact amount that the state court had ordered to be returned.
During an interview in February 2017, Shaffer told an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that the deposits were of money he had been saving for years from various sources. Shaffer admitted in federal court that this statement was false.
Shaffer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Shaffer after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The charges against Shaffer were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brook Bowers Andrews and William Camden Lewis of the Columbia office are prosecuting the case.
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