District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
California Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison After Making Bomb Threat to Myrtle Beach International AirportRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michelle Bryant, age 47, of Mission Viejo, California, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to three counts of Intentionally Conveying False and Misleading Information. The information concerned several false claims of explosive devices placed at the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MBIA). Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence sentenced Bryant to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bryant was also ordered to pay the Horry County Airport Authority $12,822.40 in restitution to reimburse the MBIA for their purchase of a full-time bomb detection dog and a trained handler. Law enforcement acquired these assets to deal with this case and to protect future visitors to MBIA.
Evidence presented to the court established that from March through August 2017, Bryant placed five telephonic bomb threats to the MBIA. Investigators obtained records from an international telecommunications company and interviewed a multitude of individuals to narrow the field of potential suspects. In February 2018, the FBI identified Bryant as a potential suspect and interviewed her at her residence in California. Once confronted, she admitted to placing the series of telephone calls, each one falsely claiming a different attack was about to occur. She told investigators the motive for the hoaxes was revenge for a failed relationship with an individual who had ties to the airport.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Myrtle Beach Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney and Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson of the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Liberty Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Methamphetamine Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jevon Chrzanowski, age 44, of Liberty, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Chrzanowski to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant at Chrzanowski’s residence and located: a 16 gauge shotgun; a .380 caliber pistol; a 12 gauge shotgun; over 50 grams of methamphetamine; $2,400; and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The case was investigated by Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, SLED, DEA, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It 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 Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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SCDC Prisoner and Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Dark Web Mail Bomb PlotRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michael James Young Jr., 32, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to over 43 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to purchase a mail bomb from prison over the Dark Web. Co-conspirator Tyrell Fears, 23, of Irmo, South Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Evidence presented to the court revealed that while incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Young obtained a contraband cellphone smuggled into the Broad River Correctional Institution. Young used that contraband cellphone to run a drug business distributing marijuana he obtained from a California supplier and from the Dark Web. Drugs purchased by Young were shipped to a conspirator’s residence before being picked up by co-defendant Vance Volious for re-distribution.
While this drug conspiracy among Young, Volious, and others was operating, the conspirators also plotted to kill Young’s ex-wife. This was not the first time that Young had tried to kill her; he was serving a 50-year sentence after having been convicted of attempting to kill her and of murdering her father in 2007.
In February 2017, Young accessed the Dark Web from prison on his contraband cellphone and started a dialogue with an undercover FBI agent, whom he believed to be a foreign explosives dealer. Young paid for a mail bomb to be sent to a conspirator’s residence in Irmo and for the re-shipment label addressed to his ex-wife to be sent to Volious’ house in Columbia.
Fears obtained the labels from Volious, armed the mail bomb, and was surveilled by the FBI delivering the inert explosives package to the Post Office in Irmo on June 6, 2017. After a United States Postal Inspector recovered the mail bomb, Young, Volious, and Fears were arrested on federal charges.
Young and Volious were convicted by a federal jury in April 2018 for conspiracy, transport of an explosive with the intent to kill, mailing a non-mailable explosive with the intent to kill, and carrying an explosive during the commission of another felony. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Young to 525 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. Judge Childs sentenced Fears—who pleaded guilty to carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony and conspiracy—to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. Volious will be sentenced at a later date.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Joint Terrorism Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections’ Division of Police Services, State Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Information and Intelligence Center, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Country Sheriff’s Department, Irmo Police Department, USC Division of Law Enforcement and Safety, and Columbia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Will Lewis of the Columbia office and former Assistant United States Attorney Jay Richardson, with assistance from Dan Goldberg of the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
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Eleven Charged in Federal Court in Heroin, Cocaine, and Fentanyl Trafficking IndictmentRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that eleven individuals have been charged in a multi-count federal indictment for their roles in a wide-ranging conspiracy to import and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl and other related offenses. On February 19, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a twenty-two count sealed indictment alleging the defendants conspired to import the narcotics from Mexico and distribute them throughout the upstate of South Carolina, North Carolina, and elsewhere. One count of the indictment charges that in October 2018, four of the defendants conspired to smuggle over 1 million dollars in cash from South Carolina to a place outside the United States in exchange for the narcotics. According to the indictment, the defendants are also charged with maintaining a stash house located in Mountville, South Carolina, where they manufactured and stored controlled substances.
“Today’s indictment is yet another example of the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina to disrupting and dismantling the flow of illegal opioids and other narcotics into our state,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “As the opioid epidemic tightens its grip on families across America, we will continue to join with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute individuals who are peddling these dangerous and deadly drugs into our communities.”
While one defendant remains at large, the individuals arrested today are:
- Detric Lee McGowan, aka “Fat”, 46, of Piedmont, South Carolina
- Donald Nathaniel Thomas, Jr. a/k/a, “TJ”, 36, of Greenwood, South Carolina
- Christopher Jerome Cunningham, 38, of Greenwood, South Carolina
- Richard Lamond Longshore, 46, of Greenwood, South Carolina
- Celest Henry Blocker, 67, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Eddie Lee Childs, 49, of Simpsonville, South Carolina
- Trevor Maurice Hull, 51, of Greenwood, South Carolina
- Danny Morales Lopez, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
Each of the above defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine, plus a term of supervised release. The following defendants face a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine, plus a term of supervised release:
- Shequita Latoya Holloway, 34, of Greenwood, South Carolina
- Lauren Brooke Poore, 35, of Piedmont, South Carolina
The indictment follows multi-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF Program is a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Its principal mission is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug-trafficking organizations primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (HIDTA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Greenwood Police Department, Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Department of Public Safety, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Leesa Washington and Sloan P. Ellis in the Greenville office.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Notice of Court ProceedingsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that a Pre-Trial Conference has been scheduled in the case of United States v. Daniel Edward Johnson, Case No. 3:18-863. A plea agreement has been filed. Senior United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie will preside.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2019, at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Matthew J. Perry Courthouse
901 Richland Street, Courtroom # 1, Columbia, SC
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Man Selling Fentanyl-Laced Drugs Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jeffery Jermaine Joe, age 42, of Camden, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted Joe’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
According to facts summarized by the Government at Joe’s guilty plea hearing, Joe was caught in a traffic stop with the illicit drugs and was subsequently captured on video selling pills laced with fentanyl. Joe was also charged for possession of a firearm that was discovered in the same room where he sold the fentanyl-laced pills. Federal law prohibits Joe from possessing a firearm based on prior convictions for distribution of crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine 2nd; trafficking crack cocaine 2nd; distribution crack cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. It is being 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. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office.
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Former Fifth Circuit Solicitor Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Daniel Edward Johnson, age 48, former Fifth Circuit Solicitor and resident of Blythewood, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to Wire Fraud. Senior United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the guilty plea and scheduled Johnson’s sentencing for June 4, 2019.
Facts presented in court established that Daniel Edward Johnson was the Fifth Circuit Solicitor from 2011 to 2018. The Solicitor’s Office serves both Richland and Kershaw Counties and receives funding from both, as well as from the federal government. Kershaw County pays the office-related credit card bills for select Solicitor’s Office employees.
During his time as Solicitor, Johnson used Solicitor’s Office funds to cover personal and non-office-related expenses. Johnson was issued Solicitor’s Office credit cards reading “DAN JOHNSON, Fifth Circuit Sol Office.” Using these cards, Johnson made a series of personal and non-office-related purchases, starting no later than 2016. In pleading guilty to the scheme, Johnson acknowledged that a November 2016 payment by Kershaw County covered personal expenses on the October 2016 credit card statement. That statement contained the following fraudulent transactions:
- September 7, 2016, charge for $208.79, at the Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations in Las Vegas.
- September 7, 2016, charge for $911.48, at the Doubletree Magic Mile hotel in Chicago.
- October 1, 2016, charge for $685.07, to Copa Airlines, an airline based in Panama.
- October 5, 2016, charge for $137.22, at the Hilton Columbia Center in Columbia, SC.
The total loss amount attributable to Dan Johnson is approximately $44,317.57. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, with a potential fine up to $250,000.
“Today’s plea will go a long way in restoring the public’s confidence in our justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The law comes in one size, and one size fits all. It fits the rich man and the poor man. It fits the citizen and the elected official. It fits the prosecuted and the prosecutor, and it certainly fits Dan Johnson. To the fine men and women of the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and to Solicitor Gipson, we know you welcome this day, as you move forward, out from under the cloud of Dan Johnson’s conduct. We look forward to continuing to partner with you to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice and to protect the citizens of South Carolina. I would also like to express my appreciation to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with whom we worked closely to bring about justice today.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston D. Holliday, Jr., Alyssa Leigh Richardson, and William C. Lewis of the Columbia office are prosecuting the case.
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Felon from Longs Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Glendell Long, a/k/a “Okera Uzoma,” age 46, of Longs, South Carolina, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in October 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented in court established that during the early morning hours of March 24, 2018, officers with the Horry County Police Department responded to a shooting incident at an unlicensed club in Longs. Long lived at a residence on the property but also owned and operated the unlicensed club located at the address. When police arrived, they observed several surveillance cameras around the property. After receiving consent to review the video footage, law enforcement saw Long carrying an American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid Assault Rifle into the residence. The assault rifle was later found hidden in the wall of Long’s residence. Law enforcement also observed Long remove what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and located a .22 caliber rifle with a sawed-off barrel in the office area of the liquor house.
Federal law prohibits Long from possessing a firearm, and this is not the first time Long has been convicted of unlawfully possessing a gun. After being convicted in state court of assault and battery with intent to kill in 1992, Long was federally prosecuted and convicted in 2003 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Long was later convicted in 2010 in state court for the unlawful carrying of a pistol.
United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted Long’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Taylor and Justin Holloway prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department. It 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.
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Effingham Felon Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dustin Earl Odom, age 24, of Effingham, South Carolina, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in October 2018 to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented in court established that on July 19, 2017, Odom committed a traffic infraction and was stopped as part of a routine traffic stop in Darlington County, South Carolina. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana and asked Odom, the only occupant of the vehicle, to step outside. The officer found approximately 110 grams of marijuana and a loaded Spring Armory XDM .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle.
Officers later found two additional firearms in his residence—a Ruger LCP .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Taurus Judge .45 caliber revolver.
Federal law prohibits Odom from possessing a firearm, and this is not the first time he has been convicted of unlawfully possessing a gun. Odom was convicted in 2013 at the age of 18 for the unlawful carrying of a pistol in state court. Odom also has previous state court felony convictions for burglary in the second degree and criminal conspiracy.
United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted Odom’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Taylor and Justin Holloway prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington County Drug Enforcement Unit, Florence Police Department, and the Hartsville Police Department. This case 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.
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Counterfeit Pill Manufacturer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Eric Hughes, age 37, of Bluffton, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten, of Columbia, sentenced Hughes to 168 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that Hughes and his co-defendants operated a counterfeit pill manufacturing operation in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The conspirators rented vacation houses at Fripp Island, Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Bluffton, and Tybee Island, Georgia, where they set up clandestine pharmaceutical laboratories for a month at time. Each month, the conspiracy produced approximately 500,000 counterfeit pills, which appeared to be legitimate pharmaceuticals.
Hughes ordered precursors—U-47700 (a synthetic opioid) and alprazolam—from China using the dark web. He then used formulas found on the internet to mix the active ingredients with binding agents and dye to make a powdery substance that was fed into the pill press. The press could produce 4,500 pills an hour.
The counterfeit pills were then sold to distributors on the dark web and provided to distributors in South Carolina. The pills sold on the dark web were purchased using bitcoins. The bitcoins were then laundered through various accounts to hide their locations. Over a million dollars in bitcoins was generated and hid by the conspiracy.
The conspiracy was ultimately captured when agents from the DEA executed multiple search warrants in August 2017, including on a beach house on Tybee Island, Georgia, where the conspiracy had a laboratory set up. Agents found the house to be covered in residue of U-47700 and alprazolam, which required the agents to enter with respirators and full containment clothing. The clean-up of the beach house cost $213,000, which the defendant was ordered to pay.
The case was investigated by agents of the DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Jim May of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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47 Year-Old Columbia Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Years in Federal Prison for Dog Fighting and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tony Shuler, a/k/a “T Rock,” age 47, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty in September to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and to Buying, Possessing, Transporting and Receiving an Animal for Participation in an Animal Fighting Venture.
Evidence presented in court showed that on April 11, 2018, 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 Shuler’s home in Columbia. Agents seized 13 pit bull-type dogs, $11,300 in cash, and dog fighting paraphernalia, including a treadmill, anabolic steroids, and medications commonly used to treat wounds incurred during fights. Agents also seized a loaded SAR 9mm pistol, two boxes of .22 caliber ammunition, a box of .45 caliber ammunition, and several shotgun shells. Shuler, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses including Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill, Burglary, and Aggravated Robbery, is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Shuler’s attorney urged the judge to impose a probationary sentence. However, after hearing from both parties, United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis rejected Shuler’s request and, instead, sentenced him to 21 months in federal prison, to be followed by a year of supervised release. The Court ordered, as a condition of his supervised release, that Shuler be banned from owning or possessing any dog. Shuler was also ordered to pay $10,465 in restitution, to cover costs associated with the care and disposition of the seized dogs.
Although dogfighting 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 dogfighting cases in at least 24 states, and has impacted through rescue, consultations, and investigations nearly 5,000 victims of dogfighting.
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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jane B. Taylor of the Columbia office.
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13 Cuban Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that 13 Cuban Nationals have been sentenced in federal court for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail Fraud. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, sentenced the following defendants:
- Jose Livan Rodriguez Espinosa, age 27, of Miami, Florida, to 108 months in federal prison;
- Ricardo Daniel Ortega Guerra, age 29, of Miami, Florida, to 41 months in federal prison;
- Julio Santos Vargas, age 26, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Humberto Merina Chamizo, age 29, of Roswell, New Mexico, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Julio Villavicencio Alvarez, age 43, of Miami, Florida, to 27 months in federal prison;
- Angel Dairan Martinez Delgado, age 31, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Robert Farres Rodriguez, age 30, of Miami, Florida, to 70 months in federal prison;
- Reyes Garcia Perez, age 53, of Miami, Florida, to 38 months in federal prison;
- Leduan Reyes, age 28, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Andres Conzales Acosta, age 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Humberto Medina Chamizo, age 29, of Roswell, New Mexico, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Reinaldo Fabelo, age 29, of Houston, Texas, to 33 months in federal prison; and
- Jose Ramon Morales, age 28, of Ft. Myers, Florida, 12 months in federal prison.
Each defendant was also sentenced to between one and three years of court-ordered supervision to follow his prison term. Together, the defendants were ordered to pay $ 142,758.43 in restitution.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the investigation of this case began in June 2014, when two individuals were stopped by the South Carolina Highway Patrol on I-95 and found to be in possession of counterfeit credit cards. Further investigation by the United States Secret Service revealed that these men were part of a conspiracy that had manufactured, distributed, and negotiated counterfeit credit cards throughout the United States.
Personal and financial information such as names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and bank account and credit card numbers (“victim track data”) was initially purchased from the dark web. This information came directly from the Home Depot Breach, which had been unreported at the time (July 2014). As arrests were made, the group became more sophisticated and began harvesting victim track data through skimming devices placed on gas pumps across the United States. The group used the victim track data to secure counterfeit credit cards, which they used to purchase gift cards primarily at Sam’s Club and Walmarts. They also used fake identification to open approximately 40 different Sam’s Club Accounts from early 2014 into late 2015, causing approximately $1 million in fraudulent transactions.
The group had significant bases of operations in Miami, Florida; Houston, Texas; and Omaha, Nebraska. From 2014 until mid-2017, the group utilized approximately 3,275 victim credit card numbers throughout the United States, affecting approximately 222 financial institutions and causing approximately $1.6 million in fraudulent transactions in South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and elsewhere. Through assistance from state and local authorities, 21 conspirators have been convicted.
This case was investigated by agents of the Columbia office of the United States Secret Service, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and state and local law enforcement throughout the United States. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office to Sponsor 16th Annual Project Sentry Logo/Meme ContestRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- The United States Attorney's Office is sponsoring its 16th Annual Project Sentry Logo/Meme Contest. The statewide contest welcomes students to illustrate how we can help prevent gun violence in our schools by designing a logo or meme for use on upcoming Project Sentry publications.
The contest is open to all South Carolina grade-school students and entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grades. A winner will be selected from each of the four divisions, and each division winner will receive $50. An overall winning logo or meme will be chosen from the four division winners and will receive an additional $50 for a total of $100.
The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will be providing the awards to the winners.
Entries should be consistent with the theme "Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools." The deadline for submissions is March 29, 2019. If your student is interested in participating, contact your local school as contest information has been sent to all South Carolina schools. Applications and contest rules may also be found on our website https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners/contest-rules.
Project Sentry, which is part of the district's Project Safe Neighborhoods/Project CeaseFire initiative, is a vital step in strengthening our ability to prevent gun crimes among our young people and to ensure a safe learning atmosphere for our children. For more information on the Project Sentry program and to view winning logos from previous years, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Now Accepting ApplicationsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the application period for Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) grants has opened. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of PSN, a nationwide initiative that awards grants to state agencies, local units of government, and non-profit agencies to fund innovative projects designed to reduce firearm and drug-related violence in our communities. The District of South Carolina will award $547,945.00 in grant funding. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs (OHSJP) has been selected to administer this grant program on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to provide critically-needed resources to communities across our state who are working to protect South Carolinians from dangerous, repeat offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Through Project CeaseFire, we are locking arms with our federal, state, and local partners to reduce gun and gang-related violence. Together, we will continue to work toward turning the tide of violent crime in South Carolina.”
More information concerning the PSN grant program may be found at https://scdps.sc.gov/ohsjp/cj-grants/safe-neighborhoods. The application deadline is Friday, April 19, 2019. Please contact OHSJP with questions or for technical assistance with an application.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. It 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 initiative promotes partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; strategic planning incorporating such technologies as crime mapping, gun tracing, and ballistic analysis; training that brings together federal, state, and local officials to build effective teams; outreach to communities; and accountability for impact on community safety.
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United States Files False Claims Act Lawsuit in Connection with MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility ContractRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that the United States has filed suit against CB&I AREVA MOX Services LLC (MOX Services) and Wise Services Inc. under the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Act in connection with a contract between MOX Services and the National Nuclear Security Administration relating to the design and operation of the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at the NNSA Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. MOX Services is a South Carolina Limited Liability Corporation with headquarters in Aiken, South Carolina. Wise Services, which subcontracted with MOX Services, is an Ohio corporation with headquarters in Dayton, Ohio.
Under the MOX Contract, MOX Services agreed to design, build, operate (and ultimately decommission) the MFFF. The MFFF is designed to transform weapons-grade plutonium into mixed oxide fuel rods that may be irradiated in commercial nuclear power plants. In performing the MOX Contract, MOX Services entered into a series of subcontracts with Wise Services between 2008 and 2016. Each of these subcontracts provided for Wise Services to supply labor, materials, equipment, and supervision for unplanned construction activities (e.g. general labor, plumbing, electrical, carpentry) deemed necessary to support MOX Services’ efforts at the MFFF.
The government’s complaint alleges that Wise Services falsely claimed reimbursement under its subcontracts with MOX Services for construction materials that did not exist, and that in turn MOX Services knowingly submitted $6.4 million in claims to NNSA for the fraudulent charges submitted by Wise Services. The complaint further alleges that Wise Services’ Senior Site Representative Phillip Thompson paid kickbacks to MOX Services officials with responsibility for the subcontracts to improperly obtain favorable treatment from MOX Services. On Feb. 27, 2017, Mr. Thompson entered a guilty plea on charges of conspiring to commit theft of government funds.
“Government contractors who line their bank accounts by receiving kickbacks or submitting fraudulent claims undermine the public's trust in government programs and operations,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to vigorously pursue those who misuse taxpayer funds.”
“Through rigorous enforcement of the False Claims Act, the Department of Justice protects taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina will continue to hold accountable government contractors who seek to fraudulently achieve profits at the expense of the American taxpayer.”
“The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General remains committed to ensuring the integrity of the Department’s contractors and subcontractors,” said Teri L. Donaldson, Department of Energy Inspector General. “We take allegations of false claims, overbilling, and kickbacks very seriously and will aggressively investigate these matters to protect the Department and the American taxpayers. We appreciate the efforts of the DOJ in pursuing these allegations and will continue our collaboration with the DOJ to investigate those who seek to defraud Department programs.”
This matter was investigated by the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, and the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General. The claims asserted in this action are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The lawsuit is captioned United States v. CB&I AREVA MOX Services, LLC, et al.(D.S.C).
Columbia Woman Pleads to Federal Charge of Enticing Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that India Tykeyah-Najee Cuyler, a/k/a “Lady Tank,” age 24, of Columbia, South Carolina, pled 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.
Evidence presented in court established 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 Cuyler and Donnell Salethian Woodard. Officers placed Cuyler and Woodard 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 Cuyler was using a cell phone to post advertisements for commercial sex with the minors on a website and taking a portion of the proceeds. Cuyler and Woodard were both charged federally.
Woodard’s case remains pending. All charges against Woodard are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Cuyler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of life, 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 plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be 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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South Carolina University to Pay $2.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Arising from Violation of Ban on Incentive CompensationRead the Press Release
North Greenville University (NGU), based in Greenville, South Carolina, will pay $2.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act of submitting false claims to the U.S. Department of Education in violation of the federal ban on incentive-based compensation, the Justice Department announced today.
Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollment. The incentive compensation ban protects students against aggressive admissions and recruitment practices that serve the financial interests of the recruiter, rather than the educational needs of the student.
“Offering unlawful financial incentives for recruiting undermines the integrity of our higher education system,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Prospective students are entitled to make enrollment decisions without the improper influence of recruiting companies who pursue their own financial gain at the expense of the students’ best interests.”
“This settlement will help ensure that schools and recruitment services put the educational interests of students and potential enrollees first,” said U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina. “It should serve as a warning to institutions that would attempt to maximize enrollments to line their own pockets, disregarding the best interests of students in the process. Through False Claims Act cases like this one, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to help protect federal taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.”
The settlement resolves allegations that between 2014 and 2016, NGU hired Joined Inc., a company partially owned by NGU, to recruit students to NGU and compensated Joined based on the number of students who enrolled in NGU’s programs, in violation of the prohibition on incentive compensation.
“The Office of Inspector General has a unique and special law enforcement mission – to protect public education funds for eligible students. Today’s settlement is an example of our commitment to this mission,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement colleagues and pursue allegations of violations of the False Claims Act in carrying out our important public service.”
The allegations resolved by the settlement were brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by Maurice Shoe, the co-owner of Joined. The Act permits private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive $375,000.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch. Investigative assistance was provided by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Shoe v. North Greenville University, No. 6:16-cv-01570 (D.S.C.).
Sumter Women Convicted of Healthcare Fraud for Over-Charging Government by Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
Columbia, SC – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Angela Breitweiser Keith, age 53, and Ann Davis Eldridge, age 58, both of Sumter, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of false statements to defraud Medicaid.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Keith and Eldridge were executives of the South Carolina Early Autism Project (SCEAP). SCEAP provided behavioral health and education solutions for children and young adults, particularly those diagnosed with autism. SCEAP began providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for children with autism in 2003, becoming the number one biller in the country for ABA services by 2015. SCEAP overcharged Medicaid and TRICARE (military-affiliated insurance) millions of dollars by inflating billing records and charging the government for services it did not provide to clients.
SCEAP employees reported to the government that they were pressured to exaggerate the amount of time they spent delivering services to the clients. Company emails indicated that SCEAP encouraged employees to unlawfully bill for time while waiting in driveways, travelling to and from servicing the clients, and even while sitting in restaurants. The employees also indicated that they had required billing goals they had to meet to qualify for job benefits and/or bonuses. These bonuses included gift cards and company-expensed vacations.
Ann Eldridge was a co-founder of SCEAP and Angela Breitweiser Keith worked at the SCEAP since its inception. In December 2012, Eldridge and her partner sold SCEAP to a company called Chancelight for over $18 million. Eldridge and Keith remained with the company, continuing in leadership roles in South Carolina. Chancelight engaged Eldridge to promote the SCEAP system to other Chancelight franchises in the Southeast, and promoted Keith to Senior Vice President of Data Reporting and Analysis.
In 2018, SCEAP/Chancelight repaid the government nearly $9 million for overbilling Medicaid and TRICARE in a civil settlement. Sentencing in the case has not yet been scheduled, but in a plea agreement filed with the court, both Keith and Eldridge have agreed to serve a 12-month federal prison sentence for their role in the fraud.
“We are proud of the excellent work of all the agencies involved,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “We take seriously our mission to protect those that are the most vulnerable to this kind of fraud and abuse. These prosecutions, combined with our civil recovery, should serve as a warning to those who seek to unlawfully enrich themselves by stealing from Medicaid or TRICARE and denying services to those with dire needs and those who have bravely served our nation.“
"These guilty pleas are the product of a thorough investigation and demonstrate the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our law enforcement partners to hold dishonest medical service providers accountable when they submit false bills and divert taxpayer funds," 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 rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse that negatively impacts critical programs such as TRICARE."
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson stated, “The positive outcome of this case is an example of how valuable it can be for multiple agencies to pool their talents and resources in order to combat fraud. These individuals pleading guilty took advantage of taxpayers’ dollars at the expense of our Medicaid population, some of our most vulnerable. The people of South Carolina deserve better than this, and these convictions show that this behavior will not be tolerated in our state.”
The investigation was conducted by members of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General; and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.
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Ridgeland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Demetrius Dwayne Swinton, a/k/a “Million Dolla Meat,” age 31, of Ridgeland, South Carolina, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Charleston to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Swinton was the last of thirteen defendants to plead guilty to their involvement in the drug conspiracy. Those who previously pled guilty to their involvement include Liz Ashante Christopher, Christopher Johnson, Travis Wiggins, Derrick Edwards, Johnita Anderson, David Grober, Boston Brown, Samuel Jones, Ernest Tyrone Fields, Devin Swinton, Ryan Walters, and Terrance Wallace. Defendants Demetrius Swinton, Christopher, Wiggins, Edwards, Anderson, Grober, Jones, Fields, and Walters each face up to life imprisonment in federal custody. Demetrius Swinton also agreed to forfeit $500,000, two vehicles, and several pieces of jewelry. Defendants Devin Swinton, Johnson, and Brown each face up to forty years in federal custody for their involvement in the conspiracy, while Wallace faces up to twenty years in federal custody for his involvement. Defendants Wiggins and Edwards both also pled guilty to possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a minimum of five years in federal custody to be served consecutive to any other sentence received.
Evidence presented to the court established that Demetrius Swinton was the leader of a cocaine trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing a large volume of cocaine into South Carolina, primarily into Beaufort and Jasper counties. During the course of the investigation, agents established that Swinton was receiving multiple kilograms of cocaine at a time from a source of supply in Atlanta and that he used a number of associates to assist in both the distribution of drugs and the collection of drug proceeds. During the course of the investigation, agents seized over 47 kilograms of cocaine, 782 grams of crack cocaine, 6 kilograms of marijuana, 97 grams of heroin, 10 firearms, 5 vehicles, over $50,000 worth of jewelry, and over $68,000 cash.
United States Attorney Lydon stated, “With these convictions, we are able to bring a long-overdue sense of justice to the communities that have been so greatly affected by drug trafficking and violence. We truly appreciate the efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in working together to hold so many people accountable for such serious crimes.”
"Demetrius Swinton’s criminal activity had been an ongoing problem for the 14th Circuit," added Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone. "It's fortunate that we've had this tremendous partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office in place for a number of years now. It has been invaluable in our efforts to get dangerous people like Swinton off the streets."
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, "The Demetrius Swinton violent drug trafficking organization plagued communities in South Carolina for far too long. This investigation clearly validates the correlation between drug trafficking and violent crime. The guilty pleas of Swinton and his co-defendants underscore the seamless law enforcement collaboration between DEA, the Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper County Sheriff's Offices, the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office."
“Drugs wreak havoc on communities, and this case is no different,” said John Eisert, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte. “With drugs comes violence, and I am happy to say several South Carolina cities are now safer due to the investigative efforts of HSI and its partners.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, City of Charleston Police Department, Summerville Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the South Carolina National Guard. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson of the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office are prosecuting the case.
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Anderson Man Sentenced to over 30 Years in Federal Prison for Using Weapons of Mass DestructionRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Wesley Dallas Ayers, 27, of Anderson, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for using, attempting to use, and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction; possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime; and use of an explosive device during the commission of a felony. United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville sentenced Ayers to 361 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ayers had previously admitted that he constructed, and then placed, three explosive devices in various parts of Anderson County between January 24, 2018, and February 24, 2018. A device placed by Ayers on January 30, 2018, at the intersection of Travis and Martin Roads in Anderson County, detonated and injured one individual. The other two devices, which Ayers also placed in or near area roadways, were intercepted and rendered safe by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
In that same timeframe, Ayers placed three hoax devices, which resembled explosives but did not contain any blasting agent. With some of those devices, the defendant left threatening messages that more, and more powerful, devices were to come.
Ayers was arrested after an exhaustive month-long investigation, with the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and numerous law enforcement agencies from around the State of South Carolina. DNA and other forensic evidence associated Ayers with the various devices. Additionally, a search of his property produced numerous items consistent with the manufacture of the same.
Judge Herlong found that the dangerous and lethal nature of the devices, weaponized with shrapnel, concealed in household items, and publicly placed in or near roadways justified the substantial sentence. He emphasized the length of Ayers’ campaign against the citizens of Anderson County for more than a month’s time and that only by the efforts of law enforcement and sheer good fortune were more individuals not seriously harmed or killed.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with numerous other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues to Prioritize Reducing Violent Crime During Lapse in Government FundingRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today, “I am thrilled that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been able to return to full operations this week following the lapse in government funding. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to our federal law enforcement partners, the vast majority of whom worked without pay for the duration of the shutdown. They exhibited dedication, determination, and perseverance throughout this difficult period as they worked to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice across our State. I am particularly proud of ongoing efforts to aggressively prosecute the most violent offenders who continue to unlawfully possess firearms. This office will never fail in its mission to protect the safety and security of the residents of South Carolina.”
Below is a summary of some of the matters the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted during the lapse in government funding 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.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug Charges. Trent Jerrod Daniels, age 31, of Columbia, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Columbia to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and to possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Evidence presented in court established that on May 8, 2018 deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department attempted a traffic stop after observing what they believed to be drug deals between an individual in a vehicle and others in the roadway. A high-speed chase ensued, during which the driver was observed throwing a bag out of the window of the vehicle. Ultimately, the vehicle was stopped and the driver was determined to be Daniels.
Deputies recovered the bag thrown from the vehicle and found it contained a loaded Hi-Point .380 caliber handgun, marijuana, and digital scales. Deputies also found a small quantity of crack cocaine in the vehicle and counterfeit money in Daniels’ pocket. Daniels admitted to making drug sales earlier and to throwing the bag containing the marijuana and loaded gun out of the car during the chase. A ballistics examination found that the recovered firearm had been used in a shooting during a burglary in December 2017.
Daniels, who was on state parole at the time of the instant offense, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon prior state convictions for burglary 2nd degree (two separate counts), use of a motor vehicle without owner’s permission, grand larceny over $1,000, but less than $5,000 (2 separate counts), strong arm robbery, and distribution of crack cocaine.
Daniels faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and three years of court-ordered supervision on the felon in possession charge. Due to a prior felony drug offense, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and four years of court-ordered supervision on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana charge.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
Gaston Man Pleads to Federal Firearm Charge Following High-Speed Chase. Jason C. Dix, age 41, of Gaston, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Columbia to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court showed that on June 8, 2018, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) deputies on patrol attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Dix for a traffic violation. Dix led deputies on a high speed chase – clocking as high as 104 miles per hour – before Dix ran two red lights and crashed into an uninvolved vehicle, sending two to a nearby hospital. LCSD deputies found a Ruger 9mm pistol and two firearm magazines loaded with ammunition in the vehicle driven by Dix.
Federal law prohibits Dix from possessing a firearm or ammunition based upon prior state convictions for Assault & Battery of a High & Aggravated Nature, Possession of Methamphetamine/Crack, three convictions for Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle, three convictions for Driving Under the Influence, Criminal Domestic Violence, Maintaining Drug Dwelling, Possession of Methamphetamine Precursors, Trafficking Methamphetamine, and two convictions for Manufacturing Methamphetamine, among others.
Dix faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and three years of court-ordered supervision. The charge against Dix was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the Lexington County Solicitor’s Office are prosecuting the case.
Bennettsville Man Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison on Federal Gun Charge. Tommie Brenda McLaurin, age 36, of Bennettsville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence sentenced McLaurin to 46 months in federal prison, with three years of court-ordered supervision to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that on November 17, 2016, members of various law enforcement agencies from South and North Carolina collaborated on executing a state search warrant at McLaurin’s residence in Bennettsville. McLaurin was arrested on scene for an outstanding warrant out of North Carolina and admitted to possessing a loaded Zastava pistol that was recovered from the residence. The firearm was listed as stolen. Federal law prohibits McLaurin from possessing firearms or ammunition based on prior state convictions for trafficking in cocaine and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
The charges against McLaurin were the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office (SC), the Rockingham Police Department (NC), the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office (NC), the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (NC), and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (SC). Assistant United States Attorneys Everett McMillian and Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Federal Charges Following Myrtle Beach Armed Robberies. Jeremy Lamar Hayes, age 29, and Kennedy Boggs, age 26, pled guilty in federal court in Florence to federal robbery and gun charges. Hayes pled guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery (robbery affecting commerce) and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence. Boggs pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Aiding and Abetting the Brandishing of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on January 29, 2018, officers from the Myrtle Beach Police Department (MBPD) responded to an armed robbery at a dry cleaner in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Hayes entered the location, presented a firearm, and demanded money from the register and the victim’s wallet. Hayes took money from the register, the victim’s wallet and cell phone, and the store phone and then fled in a vehicle.
The next day, MBPD officers responded to an armed robbery at a restaurant in Myrtle Beach, SC. Hayes entered the location, presented a firearm, and demanded money from the register. He took cash from the register and an employee’s cell phone. Hayes then forced employees to lay on the ground and count while Hayes exited the store and fled in a vehicle.
After the restaurant robbery, MBPD located a vehicle matching the description of the get-away vehicle. The driver, Kennedy Boggs, failed to stop, and after a pursuit, both Boggs and Hayes were detained. MBPD found in the vehicle clothing matching the description of clothing worn by Hayes during the robberies. Hayes’ fingerprint was also located at the scene of the restaurant robbery. Boggs admitted that she had driven Hayes to the robberies and that during the vehicle pursuit, the firearm was thrown out of the window. Officers later recovered the firearm.
Hayes and Boggs face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The charges against Hayes and Boggs were the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Myrtle Beach Police Department, the Surfside Beach Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office (NC), and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office (NC). Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.
West Columbia Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm. Felix Martinez-Melquisdes, age 35, of West Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Columbia after pleading guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Martinez to 20 months in prison, to be followed by two years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that Martinez was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a Mexican citizen who had entered and was living in the United States illegally. The investigation of Martinez began as the result of email and telephone conversations Martinez had with a girl in Kentucky. The girl was about to graduate from high school and Martinez wanted to pick her up and take her to South Carolina, but she did not want to go. Martinez responded on May 12, 2018, by threatening to attend her graduation and shoot everyone there. This resulted in an arrest warrant for Terrorist Threats being issued in Kentucky. Graduation was scheduled for May 19, 2018, and agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrested Martinez at his job on May 16. At the time of his arrest, Martinez was carrying a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol.
The case was investigated by agents of SLED, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Longs Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm Charge. Quinn Hakeem McCray, age 29, of Longs, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced McCray to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented in court established that on June 28, 2018, officers with the Horry County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempting to locate McCray in reference to an outstanding arrest warrant spotted him riding as a passenger in a vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. When the vehicle came to a stop, McCray fled on foot, and police noted that he was carrying a pistol with a high-capacity magazine in his hand. After a brief foot chase, police caught up to McCray and arrested him. Federal law prohibits McCray from possessing firearms or ammunition based on his prior state convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, pointing and presenting a firearm, and strong arm robbery.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney David P. Caraker, Jr. of the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.
Florence Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug Charges. Chadrick Letran James, age 29, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced James to 63 months in federal prison with five years of court-ordered supervision to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on September 1, 2017, a corporal with the Florence Police Department conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle James was driving. The corporal could smell an odor of marijuana coming from both James and the vehicle. James admitted to smoking marijuana and having marijuana in the vehicle’s cup holder. A search of the vehicle also revealed a plastic bag in the driver’s side door believed to be used to package narcotics and a book bag that contained several bags of marijuana, a bottle of crack cocaine, a bag of cocaine, a set of digital scales, and a Smith and Wesson, model SW40VE, .40 caliber pistol loaded with 14 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
The charges against James were the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Florence Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
North Charleston Man Faces Federal Charges in Tavern & Table Robbery and Shooting. Brandon Lloyd Daniels of North Charleston, South Carolina, was charged in a five-count indictment arising out of the April 4, 2018, robbery of Tavern & Table, a Mt. Pleasant restaurant located on Shem Creek. The superseding indictment alleges that Daniels and another man robbed the restaurant at gunpoint and shot an employee in the back. Daniels, who was previously indicted for possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun and being a felon in possession of a firearm, now faces additional charges including robbery affecting interstate commerce and the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted, Daniels faces a maximum penalty of up to life in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Schoen, Matt Austin, and Jim May are prosecuting the case.
All charges in this indictment are merely accusations, and Daniels is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Two Men Sentenced in Federal Court for Roles in Bi-Coastal Marijuana Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jeremy David Grove, 30, of Greenville, South Carolina, and Jaspal Singh Grewall, 40, of Anaheim, California, have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracy operating between the East Coast and California. On December 12, 2017, the men were charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, and conspiracy to structure financial transactions.
Grove pled guilty to the marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, and Grewall pled guilty to conspiracy to structure financial transactions. United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Grove to 5 years in federal prison and 4 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. For his role in the offense, Grewall received a 3-year probationary sentence. A third man charged, Tyler James Durney, 36, also of Greenville, awaits sentencing.
According to U.S. Attorney Lydon, Grove and Durney devised multiple schemes to pay for and to transport, via the United States Postal Service and commercial carriers, hundreds of pounds of California-sourced high-grade marijuana to South Carolina. Beginning in November 2014, the defendants deposited and caused to be deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds into “funnel” or “pass through” bank accounts held by Grewall, in amounts at or under $10,000.00 to circumvent the reporting requirement regarding cash transactions over $10,000.00.
During the guilty plea hearing, the defendants admitted using multiple bank accounts in a coordinated manner to funnel the illicit currency from South Carolina for immediate withdrawal in California. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Grewall has forfeited over $780,574.00 in cash and real property to the government.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspector, and the Greenville City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leesa Washington of the Greenville office.
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North Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Mt. Pleasant Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Leonard Franklin Clark, 31, of North Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in three Mt. Pleasant robberies. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented by the Government established that on May 9, 2017, Leonard Clark and his codefendants robbed a grocery store located on SC Highway 41 in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Kalee Lynn-Bishop entered the store hours before the robbery to surveil the robbery location. During the robbery, three masked men, including Leonard Clark and Cortlyn Brown, entered the grocery store while Kamal Backman remained in a vehicle to serve as the lookout and getaway driver. The men that entered the grocery store carried firearms, brandishing the firearms in furtherance of the robbery. The gunmen ordered the employees to lay face down on the floor while pointing the weapons to their heads. The men stole $9,109.00 from the store.
On May 12, 2017, Leonard Clark, Cortlyn Brown, and Kamal Backman robbed a bank located on Park West Boulevard, Ace Area 6 in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Kalee Lynn-Bishop entered the bank prior to the robbery to surveil the location. At approximately 3:56 p.m., four masked men entered the bank armed with firearms and demanded money. The men pointed their guns at the employees, brandishing the firearms in furtherance of the robbery. The defendants stole $21,238.00 and an employee’s cell phone and purse.
On July 11, 2017, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Leonard Clark and a second man robbed a bank on Anna Knapp Blvd. in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Both men carried firearms and pointed the weapons at the bank tellers in furtherance of the robbery. The men stole $13,227.00 from the bank, but a bank teller was able to insert a dye pack into the stolen money.
The next day, Leonard Clark deposited $1,440.00 in dye-stained money into his bank account through an ATM in West Ashley. That same day, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on the defendant’s registered vehicle while he was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located a Springfield 9mm firearm with an extended magazine containing 19 rounds and one in the chamber. The firearm was reported stolen from Coastal Firearms in Cainhoy, South Carolina. Officers also located $2,735.00 in cash on Leonard Clark’s person.
On July 21, 2017, investigators obtained a search warrant for Leonard Clark’s North Charleston residence. The sink in the master bathroom was covered in red dye, and investigators recovered dye-stained cash from numerous areas in the master bedroom. Investigators also located an empty Smith & Wesson box, black gloves, a black and camo mask, and bank documents for Leonard Clark in the master bedroom.
Shortly thereafter, officers initiated a traffic stop on Leonard Clark’s vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed items consistent with Clark’s involvement in the robberies: a white and black bandana and a black ski mask in the back seat, black gloves with blue trim, a loaded Smith & Wesson magazine, and a silver and black Smith & Wesson handgun stained with red dye. The handgun had the same serial number as the empty Smith & Wesson box located in Clark’s bedroom at the North Charleston residence.
The Honorable Richard M. Gergel, who sentenced Clark, previously sentenced Clark’s three codefendants, Cortlyn DaQuan Brown, 23; Kamal De’Andrea Backman, 21; and Kalee Lynn-Bishop, 25, all of Mt. Pleasant, for their roles in the grocery store and bank robberies. Cortlyn Brown received a 10-year federal prison sentence on November 6, 2018. Kamal Backman received a 108-month sentence on January 25, 2019. Kalee Lynn-Bishop received a 44-month sentence on November 6, 2018.
The convictions are the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office and JD Rowell of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Heroin and Cocaine “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, South Carolina, has pled guilty in federal court to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine and heroin, the use of which resulted in serious bodily injury or death. This charge potentially carries a mandatory sentence of 20 years to life in federal prison.
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. The victim later used 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.
Hunt and Ortiz were prosecuted for their roles in covering up the overdose. Both men pled guilty and were sentenced to 21 and 27 months in federal prison, respectively.
This case is part of a concentrated effort to disrupt and dismantle the flow of illegal opioids and other narcotics in the Myrtle Beach area. By joining 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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Federal Jury Convicts Last Man Standing in 29-Defendant Organized Crime Case in Myrtle BeachRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that John Henry Johnson, age 68, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was convicted by a federal jury after three days of trial during the lapse in government appropriations. The jury found Johnson guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and two counts of the attempted distribution of heroin in January and February of 2017. Johnson faces up to 30 years in federal prison as a result of these convictions.
The evidence presented at trial revealed that the DEA and the FBI, working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement, began investigating a drug trafficking organization whose members operated in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Florence, South Carolina, and in southern North Carolina. Some members of this organization were members of a national criminal gang that sells drugs and firearms, and commits violence to generate illegal revenue. These gang members worked with other non-gang members of the drug trafficking organization, including Johnson, to enhance profits they made from the sale of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Targeting drug distribution activity and related violent crime in the Myrtle Beach area, federal and state law enforcement agencies engaged in an investigation lasting over two years and used wire and electronic intercepts and other investigative techniques to identify members of this organization, including Johnson.
The evidence showed that Johnson was a mid-level heroin distributor who purchased heroin and fentanyl from the organization’s main source of supply for drugs. During his participation in the organization, Johnson sold thousands of dollars’ worth of heroin and fentanyl to his customers, sometimes meeting his supplier in the parking lot of drug rehabilitation facilities to buy heroin and fentanyl to sell to his customers.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the DEA, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, the Horry County Police Department, the Myrtle Beach Police Department, the North Myrtle Beach Police Department, and the Georgetown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Holloway from the Florence office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Moorman from the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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Charleston Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Horace Edmond Wright, age 52, of Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Charleston after pleading guilty to distribution of heroin. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks of Charleston sentenced Wright to eight years in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of court-ordered supervision. Evidence presented to the court established that Wright had distributed heroin on two occasions in 2017. He has prior convictions for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in 1994, Distribution of Crack in 1998, and Possession with Intent to Distribute of Heroin in 2008.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Charleston City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Allendale Town Administrator Pleads Guilty to Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Harold Dewayne Ennis, Jr., 48, of Allendale, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to theft of federal funds.
The Information to which Ennis pled guilty states that Ennis has held the position of Allendale Town Administrator since around the year 2000. In his role as Town Administrator, Dewayne Ennis had authority to manage and use Town funds. In 2015, he began siphoning funds from the Town of Allendale for personal and unofficial uses, including vehicle purchases, automobile repairs, home repairs, and receiving payment from the Town of Allendale for hours worked elsewhere.
Ennis faces of maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. Senior United States District Judge Cameron Currie will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The charges against Ennis were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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Ten Members of "24/7 Boyz" Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that 10 of 12 defendants who were indicted for their roles in a Myrtle Beach-area retail drug distribution organization have pled guilty to federal firearms and narcotics charges.
The evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian reflects that each of these defendants were participants in a Myrtle Beach-based drug distribution network known by the name “24/7 Boyz.” The organization operated as a dispatch service, wherein drug customers placed telephone calls to a dispatch number and a dispatcher then directed the customer to a specific location in the Myrtle Beach area to purchase user quantities of crack cocaine and/or heroin. A delivery driver would then meet the customer at the location, where the drug sale was completed. As the name implies, this organization made illegal drugs available to customers at any time and on any day of the week. The organization operated for years in the Myrtle Beach area, beginning in or around June 2003 and continuing in various forms until the federal indictment was handed down in July 2018.
During the height of the investigation, officials used confidential sources to conduct more than 30 controlled purchases of illegal narcotics from the organization using the dispatch service described above. The covert purchase operations resulted in the recovery of various quantities of illegal controlled substances from multiple locations and, toward the latter end of the investigation, fentanyl that was packaged and sold as heroin. Several search warrants and traffic stops were also conducted on members of the organization, which resulted in the combined seizure of kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine and significant quantities of other illegal drugs. Additionally, nine firearms were seized from the group along with tens of thousands of dollars in suspected drug proceeds.
The investigation involved significant coordination between a number of local, state, and federal agencies, primarily including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Police Department, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and South Carolina 15th Judicial Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit. The investigation was also supported by counter-drug intelligence analysts assigned to the South Carolina and Alabama National Guards.
The following defendants have pled guilty in federal court: Michael Alfonso Hatten; Joseph Luis White; Byron Allen Gidney; Ivan Kedric Chatman; Devinee Kathryn Boyle; Dominique Leconte House, Jr.; Domain Wilbert Johnson; Santhony Marzine Thigpen; Eleanor Jane Carter; and Kristin Joan Milby. U.S. Attorney Lydon stated that Hatten was the leader of the organization, and he was assisted by mid-level participants White, Gidney, and Chatman. For their roles in the conspiracy, each of these four lead defendants faces a possible sentence ranging from 10 years to life in federal custody. House, Johnson, Boyle, Thigpen, Carter, and Milby played lesser roles, such as delivering drugs to retail customers and renting vehicles and storage locations for the organization. They potentially face up to 20 or 30 years in prison, depending on their prior criminal histories.
United States District Court Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing presentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was selected for federal prosecution in coordination with the 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, which had pending state charges on many of the participants, 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian of the Florence office and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Caraker of the 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
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Piedmont Felon Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Alfred Wayne Cash, Jr., age 57, of Piedmont, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. United States District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Greenville accepted Cash’s guilty plea and imposed a sentence of 97 months in federal prison, followed by court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that on November 20, 2015, a shooting occurred at Cash’s residence and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation. A search of the residence revealed multiple firearms and ammunition.
Federal law prohibits Cash from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior convictions for various offenses to include housebreaking and a prior felon in possession of a firearm conviction.
The case was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 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 Max Cauthen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
Oconee Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison on Child Porn ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Randy Quinn, age 31, of Westminster, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Quinn to 68 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that law enforcement conducted a proactive investigation involving a file-sharing network used by individuals with an interest in child pornography. An undercover officer downloaded child pornography that Quinn was sharing.
Based on the downloads, search warrants were obtained and executed at Quinn’s house. During the search, a Samsung tablet was discovered and a manual search of it by investigators revealed large quantities of videos and still images of child pornography. Additional images were discovered on Quinn’s cell phone. In total, over 10,000 images of child pornography were recovered from Quinn’s devices.
The case was investigated by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys 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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Columbia Man Indicted on Federal Charge for Dumping Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michael Greene, age 44, of Columbia, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count Indictment by a federal Grand Jury in Columbia with a knowing violation of the Clean Water Act.
According to the Indictment, 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.
Greene faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison, with a potential fine up to $250,000.
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 is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in the Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Belton Felon Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Marty Lee Vaughn, age 37, of Belton, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. United States District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Greenville accepted Vaughn’s guilty plea and imposed a sentence of 51 months in federal prison, followed by court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented by the government established that on April 21, 2017, Liberty Police Department Officers responded to a vehicle stuck in a ditch and found Vaughn asleep in the driver’s seat. As Vaughn was awakened and removed from the car, officers observed ammunition fall from Vaughn’s lap to the ground. Officers also observed the top of a firearm beside the driver’s seat. As the vehicle was inventoried prior to being towed from the scene, an officer recovered the .357 caliber pistol from beside the seat.
Federal law prohibits Vaughn from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior convictions for offenses to include burglary.
The case was investigated by the Liberty Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 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 Max Cauthen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Turtle TraffickingRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that William Thomas Gangemi, age 26, of Freehold, New Jersey, pled guilty in federal court to Conspiracy to Smuggle Wildlife. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., accepted the plea and will sentence him at a later date.
Evidence presented at the hearing established that Gangemi participated in a syndicate of wildlife smugglers exchanging turtles protected by international agreements back and forth between the United States and China. The conspiracy was led by Steven Baker, age 38, of Holly Hill, who pled guilty in June 2018. Three other men, Joseph Logan Brooks, age 29, formerly of Holly Hill; Matthew Tyler Fischer, age 25, of Holly Hill; and Matthew Harrison Kail, age 30, of Pomona Park, Florida, pled guilty to the same Conspiracy in September 2018. William Fischer, age 48, of Harleyville, pled guilty to a misdemeanor Wildlife Trafficking charge the same day.
The activity took place from January through June 2016. Baker obtained protected turtles from Hong Kong to distribute here in the United States, and he shipped protected turtles from the United States to Asia. Gangemi collected turtles that he provided to Baker, shipped turtles domestically, and exchanged text messages with Baker regarding various shipments.
The transactions were set up using the Facebook text messaging feature. Shipments were made internationally through the United States Postal Service. Several packages were intercepted entering the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The maximum penalty faced by Gangemi is five years in federal prison.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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Florence Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit MoneyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Joshua Ryan Nance, 28, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit money.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Nance was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in multiple states, including South Carolina and North Carolina. This conspiracy, which began in 2015, included at least nine co-conspirators who were responsible for making and passing over $100,000 in counterfeit money.
Nance and other conspirators manufactured counterfeit money at several residences in Florence, South Carolina. They produced counterfeit $100 bills on genuine currency paper, then visited various local businesses, where they would purchase small items or services with the counterfeit $100 bills in order to obtain genuine currency as change.
United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Nance to 46 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that a Federal Grand Jury in Florence, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Horry and Dillon County Men Indicted for Illegal Reentry into the United States After Deportation. Luis Fernando Roldan-Quiroz of Horry County, South Carolina, and Wilfredo Alcantara-Garcia of Dillon County, South Carolina, were each charged in a single-count indictment with illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. The maximum penalty Roldan-Quiroz and Alcantara-Garcia could receive is ten years in federal prison. These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations and are assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence Office for prosecution.
Florence Woman Indicted for Embezzling Money from the Social Security Administration, Using a Computer to Commit Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Kianna Parrott of Florence, South Carolina, was charged in a 4-count indictment with embezzling money from the Social Security Administration, using a computer to commit fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The maximum penalty Parrott could receive is 10 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence Office for prosecution.
Horry County Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Tony Dewayne Rollins of Horry County, South Carolina, was charged in a single-count indictment with illegal possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony. The maximum penalty Rollins could receive is 10 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Justin W. Holloway of the Florence Office for prosecution.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Career Law Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office Awarded South Carolina’s Highest Civilian Honor by Governor McMasterRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon is proud to announce that Rebecca Ann “Becky” Plyler was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Henry McMaster. The Order of the Palmetto is considered the highest civilian honor in the State of South Carolina. It was first awarded in 1971 by Governor John C. West. It recognizes a person's lifetime achievements and contributions to the State of South Carolina. Prior Order of the Palmetto recipients include singer James Brown and author Pat Conroy.
Ms. Plyler was surrounded by her colleagues and members of local, state, and federal law enforcement from across the state when she received the award during a surprise office gathering earlier this week. After 39 years of dedicated service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as to law enforcement and citizens in communities across the state, Mrs. Plyler is set to retire at the end of the year. During the gathering, Mrs. Plyler was also awarded the Chief’s Award by Chief Mark Keel from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). A very prestigious award, the Chief’s Award has only been given to three other recipients over the years.
Greenville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Anderson, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dominick Larenzo Johnson, 33, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Timothy Cain of Anderson accepted Johnson’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on September 8, 2016, a Greenville County Sheriff’s Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Johnson, but the vehicle fled. The vehicle was soon found abandoned, and deputies canvassed the area looking for Johnson. Witnesses informed deputies that Johnson had thrown an object into a dumpster as he ran by it. Deputies arrested Johnson as he ran from a nearby building and then recovered the object from the dumpster. The object, a backpack, contained a loaded 9mm pistol.
Federal law prohibits Johnson from possessing a firearm due to his prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in 2005, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine twice in 2016.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. It 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 Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Fort Mill Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Shiquisa Monique Watts, a/k/a “Quisha,” age 23, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was sentenced to over two years in federal prison after pleading guilty in March 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court established that on September 10, 2016, officers with the Fort Mill Police Department responded to a fight in the parking lot of a local shopping center. Officers gathered information that one of the individuals involved in the altercation was Watts and that she had been armed with a handgun. They made contact with Watts at her home as she was exiting a vehicle. Officers located a loaded Ruger .380 caliber handgun in the car and Watts admitted to possessing it in her pocket during the altercation. Further investigation revealed that the firearm had previously been reported stolen.
Federal law prohibits Watts from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon her prior state convictions for distribution of marijuana 2nd offense and distribution of marijuana within the proximity of a park.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, accepted Watts’ guilty plea and sentenced her to 27 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. The court allowed Watts to self-report to federal prison. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Fort Mill Police Department. This case 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.
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Drugs and Violence Result in 170 Month Federal Sentence for West Columbia ManRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Bradley Apollos Thompson, a/k/a “Kuntry,” age 28, of West Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer while resisting arrest and one count of aiding and abetting in a Hobbs Act robbery. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, of Columbia, sentenced Thompson to 170 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on February 5, 2017, Thompson, Tiffany Metze, and Noah Billie conspired to rob a local methamphetamine dealer named Bruce Hudson, a/k/a “Zues.” The three conspirators met at a hotel near the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and discussed driving to Hudson’s home in Gaston, South Carolina, to commit the robbery. After they discussed the details of the planned robbery, Thompson drove Metze and Thompson to Hudson’s home. Metze lured Hudson to the front yard and after a brief discussion with him, Billie shot Thompson in the torso. Thompson drove the conspirators away from the crime. Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to Hudson’s home and found him shot in the front yard. Hudson was hospitalized for his injuries.
State warrants were obtained for Metze, Billie, and Thompson as a result of the above-referenced robbery. On February 22, 2017, members of the United States Marshals Service Operation Intercept Fugitive Task Force located Thompson’s truck at a residence near Boiling Springs Road in Lexington. Members of the task force positioned their vehicles in an attempt to prevent Thompson from leaving the residence. When officers observed Thompson exit the residence with a female and get into the truck, they identified themselves and ordered Thompson to get out of the vehicle. Thompson pushed the female out of the driver’s seat and attempted to escape. During his escape attempt, he drove his vehicle in reverse and struck a vehicle driven by one of the Deputy Sheriffs assigned to the fugitive task force. Thompson then placed his vehicle into drive and rammed a vehicle driven by a Deputy United States Marshal, who had taken up a blocking position in front of Thompson. The Deputy was positioned in the apex of the driver’s door when Thompson rammed his vehicle. The Deputy’s hands and feet were slammed in the doorframe when Thompson rammed his truck into the Deputy’s vehicle. Thompson reversed and struck the Deputy’s vehicle a second time, again pinning the Deputy’s hands and feet. Task Force members then fired on Thompson, striking him multiple times. Both the Deputy and Thompson were transported to the Lexington Medical Center for injuries sustained during the arrest. Both have recovered from their injuries.
The Court sentenced Thompson to 170 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Noah Billie was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release of 5 years. Finally, Metze was sentenced to 57 months, followed by a term of supervised release of 3 years.
The case was investigated by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Columbia Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the United States Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney JD Rowell of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
This case 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.
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Anderson Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Anderson, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Clyde Allen Williams, 33, of Anderson, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Timothy Cain of Anderson accepted Williams’ guilty plea and sentenced him to 100 months in federal prison, to be followed by court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 9, 2017, Williams was the driver of a car traveling at 96 mph in a 45 mph zone in the city of Anderson, SC. An Anderson City Police Officer stopped the car and, while speaking to Williams, observed the bottom of a pistol magazine sticking out of Williams' pocket. The officer removed a loaded .380 caliber pistol from Williams’ pocket. A subsequent search of the car revealed approximately 84 grams of marijuana. Federal law prohibits Williams from possessing firearms due to his prior criminal record.
The Anderson City Police Department along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
This case 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.
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24 Arrested on Federal Drug Conspiracy Charges in Myrtle Beach and Horry County – FBI Seeks Information on 3 Remaining FugitivesRead the Press Release
Conway, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today during a press conference at the Horry County Police Department that a 46-count federal indictment has been unsealed that charges 27 defendants with federal drug conspiracy charges. On Wednesday morning, 22 defendants were arrested in an early morning operation in Horry County that was conducted by more than 125 officers and agents from 12 law enforcement agencies. These defendants were arraigned in federal court in Florence on Wednesday afternoon, and two defendants who were already in state custody will make their first appearance this Friday. Three defendants have not yet been arrested, and the FBI is seeking information leading to their capture.
Beginning in 2017, the FBI Myrtle Beach Resident Agency, working alongside several other federal and local law enforcement partners, began a covert investigation of a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in the Myrtle Beach and Horry County areas of South Carolina. The defendants named in the indictment are members and/or associates of this drug trafficking organization, known by the name “G-Shine” and 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. The investigation revealed that G-Shine’s gang members and criminal associates engage in the sale of narcotics and use firearms to defend themselves and their criminal enterprise.
The indictment charges the defendants with forming an agreement to distribute heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana in South Carolina. Additionally, the indictment charges several defendants with the actual distribution of these drugs and the use of wireless communications devices to further the organization’s drug trafficking activity. During the course of the investigation, agents used undercover surveillance, confidential source information, and other techniques to establish the agreement between coconspirators to sell these drugs.
“Drugs and violence are what we are talking about today,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “I could not be more proud to lend my voice, and more importantly our resources, to help sound the alarm in this community. There is a serious violent crime problem, and a serious opioid problem, in the Myrtle Beach area. We are targeting groups that are directly destroying communities. We will spare no resources. We are here in full force, with a passion for making Myrtle Beach safe. We are locking arms with our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal enterprises right here at home. We applaud the great work done by our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and we consider it a great privilege to join forces with them.”
The following defendants are in custody:
- Aaron Delond Stanley, a/k/a “Heat Santana,” of Myrtle Beach
- Richard Earl Hemingway, Jr., a/k/a “Jeezy,” of Myrtle Beach
- Rashea Omar Jenerette, a/k/a “Dog,” of Poplar
- Thurston Jay Hardiman, a/k/a “Thirst,” of Longs
- Christopher Lamont Pino, a/k/a “Pine,” of Little River
- Trey Levert Cox, aka “Cheese” a/k/a “Sosa,” of Poplar
- Terrance Damon Richardson, Jr., a/k/a “Juicy,” of Longs
- Kennis Lorenzo Willard, a/k/a “Kilo,” of Longs
- Terrice Bayshawn Livingston, a/k/a “Biz,” of Longs
- Crystal Nicole Dickey, of Little River
- Cory Antwan Pertell, of Loris
- Jada Teal Abril Pyatt, of Myrtle Beach
- Wendy Elaine Blue, of Longs
- Michelle Denise McFee, of Little River
- Kalaera Marie Gee, of Marion
- Javarius Albert Grant Murray, of Myrtle Beach
- Eddie Mario Jones, a/k/a “Coco,” of Myrtle Beach
- Marcus Antonio Hemingway, a/k/a “Mark,” of Longs
- Donte Raquan Xavier Livingston, a/k/a “Bootsie,” of Myrtle Beach
- Xavier Jermaine Horne, a/k/a “Rush,” of Myrtle Beach
- Montea Daryel Myers, of Myrtle Beach
- Glen Garrick Holley, of Myrtle Beach
- Michelle Lindsey Singleton, of Myrtle Beach
- Blake Lashay Evans, a/k/a “Breezy,” of Longs
The FBI is actively looking for three additional defendants: Christopher Kayvon Giddens, a/k/a “Brisk,” of Longs; Rondric Tykeme Smith, of Conway; and Katelyn Anne Stetler, of Little River. Any person having information as to the whereabouts of one of these fugitives should contact the FBI Columbia Tip Line at 803-551-4200.
The investigation and arrests were a combined law enforcement effort between the following agencies: Horry County Police Department, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit and Solicitor’s Office, 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 investigation has been quarterbacked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being 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 Attorneys Everett McMillian and Justin Holloway of the Florence office are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Lydon stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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West Ashley Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Glenn Darryl Dennis, age 33, of West Ashley, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour of Charleston sentenced Dennis to 71 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that on December 5, 2017, officers of the Charleston Police Department stopped Dennis for a vehicle infraction and observed an open container of alcohol. Officers asked Dennis to step out of the vehicle, and, as they attempted to frisk him for weapons, he tried to run. He was quickly restrained, and officers found cocaine and a loaded revolver in his pocket.
Federal law prohibits Dennis from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his numerous prior felony convictions, including for possessing narcotics with intent to distribute and carjacking. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on July 30, 2018.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001 that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Turning the tide of rising violent crime in America is a top priority for the Department of Justice, which has reinstituted PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy.
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Upstate Woman Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison in Opioid ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Anderson, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Precias K. Freeman, 35, of Lyman, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson for her role in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute hydrocodone. United States District Timothy M. Cain of Anderson sentenced Freeman to 210 months in the federal Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that beginning in October 2014, Freeman created fraudulent prescriptions using stolen physician DEA numbers. She passed the fraudulent prescriptions in local pharmacies throughout the upstate of South Carolina. In February 2015, Freeman moved her operation into North Carolina because South Carolina law enforcement was devoting substantial resources in an effort to locate her.
The investigation revealed that Freeman usually tried to fill three prescriptions per day. Records showed that on some days Freeman succeeded at filling up to 13 prescriptions per day. Veteran DEA agents described Freeman as the most prolific prescription passer with whom they had dealt. Over the course of the conspiracy, law enforcement estimates that Freeman was responsible for illegally obtaining 175,000 tablets of hydrocodone, which she and her co-conspirators then sold across the Upstate.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Duncan Police Department, the Simpsonville Police Department, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Human Trafficking Training to Local Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that over the last two weeks, the United States Attorney’s Office provided training to South Carolina’s Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force on methods of investigating and prosecuting federal human trafficking cases.
The training was part of a three-day course entitled “Advanced Human Trafficking Investigations Law Enforcement Course.” The course was sponsored by the Charleston County Sherriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and ERASE, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization focused on eliminating child trafficking through education and professional training.
Originally set to include a single training session, U.S. Attorney Lydon stated a second class was organized due to high levels of interest among local law enforcement agencies. “We applaud our local law enforcement partners for taking such an interest in this important issue. Human trafficking is a worldwide crisis sustained by a vast criminal network that exploits vulnerable children and adults, including right here at home,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Successfully prosecuting these cases depends on the cooperation of state and federal law enforcement agencies. Through courses like this, we are taking the steps necessary to tackle this problem head-on in South Carolina.”
Instructors presented on a range of topics relating to human trafficking, including statistics provided by ERASE’s 2012 Survivor Survey. According to the survey, approximately 75% of underage sex trafficking victims reported being sold online. Additionally, the average age of entry into sex trafficking for a child victim in the United States was reported to be 12 years old for a girl and 11 years old for a boy. It is estimated that one in three teens living on the street will be lured toward trafficking within 4-8 years of leaving home.
U.S. Attorney Lydon also announced that each of the four U.S. Attorney’s Offices in South Carolina now have designated points of contact for issues relating to human trafficking prosecutions.
Instructors at the course included Major Rick Hoffman, Raleigh Police Department (retired); Lori A. Sims, AMP, MPP; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Victor Williams (retired); and Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Schoen and Matt Austin from the Charleston Office.
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Rock Hill Gang Member Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Kenterius Dyshae Hinton, age 24, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 36 months (3 years) imprisonment, which will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. This past September, Hinton plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court established that on November 29, 2017, at approximately 11:21p.m., officers with the Rock Hill Police Department were on patrol in an unmarked patrol car when they observed a car, using their high beam front headlights, coming towards them. A traffic stop was conducted and Hinton found to be the driver. Officers smelled marijuana as they approached the car and when they asked Hinton, a known gang member, and the passenger about it, they stated that they had smoked marijuana earlier and that the odor was on their clothes. A search of car revealed a loaded Taurus .45 caliber handgun underneath the center console, a loaded Smith and Wesson .45 caliber handgun underneath the passenger seat, and a marijuana grinder with marijuana residue. Both Hinton and the passenger were arrested on state charges of unlawful carrying of a firearm and advised of their rights. After waiving their rights, Hinton admitted that the “black gun was mine” [the Taurus .45 caliber] and the passenger admitted that the silver gun [the Smith and Wesson .45 caliber] was his gun.
Hinton, who was on state probation at the time of the instant offense, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon prior state convictions for burglary 2nd degree, where he entered a dwelling armed with a firearm, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and attempted armed robbery. The passenger was not a convicted felon, so his firearm charge remained in state court.
Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey D. Haynes and Alyssa Richardson both of the Columbia office handled the case.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Rock Hill Police Department. This case 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.
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North Myrtle Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges for Check-Forging ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Holly Denise Sturkey, 42, of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to Conspiracy to Manufacture and Pass Forged Securities.
Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that from May through October 2017, Sturkey was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass forged checks of organizations.
This conspiracy was responsible for stealing mail from mailboxes at various residences in Horry County and other counties in an effort to locate genuine checks within the mail. Sturkey would then alter and/or forge various information on the checks, including names and signatures of payees and account holders, so that she could deposit those checks into a bank account to which she had access. She would then withdraw the funds from this account and keep the proceeds for herself.
Sturkey faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Sturkey after receiving and reviewing a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Horry County Police Department and the North Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.
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Lexington Man Indicted for Defrauding National Dumpster Company Based in ColumbiaRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that William Tye Grisel, 38, of Lexington, South Carolina, was charged in a 153-count Indictment by a federal grand jury for Wire Fraud and Fraud Involving a Computer.
According to the Indictment, Grisel is a former employee of and consultant for Big Red Box, a national dumpster brokerage firm based in Columbia. Over an almost three-year period, he defrauded the company of approximately $1.05 million by charging for marketing calls he did not make.
Grisel faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each Wire Fraud charge and five years in prison for each Fraud Involving a Computer charge.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney Lydon stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Lancaster Resident Sentence to 10 Years in Federal Prison After Being Found in Possession of Firearms Stolen from National Guard ArmoryRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Brandon Shane Polston, age 33, of Lancaster, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty in July to being a felon in possession of firearms and to possession of machineguns and destructive device not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Polston to the statutory maximum sentence of 120 months (10 years) imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow.
Polston’s co-defendants—Austin Lee Ritter, age 23, and Kimberly Denise Cannon, age 40, both of Lancaster—were sentenced in late November after pleading guilty in June. Both pled guilty to the same charges as Polston. Ritter was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow. Cannon was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow.
Evidence presented in court hearings established that during the early morning hours of November 26, 2017, an officer with the Lancaster Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Cannon after observing her littering. Further investigation during the traffic stop revealed the following inside the vehicle: a FNH, model M249, 5.56mm machinegun; two (2) Colt, model M-16, 5.56mm machineguns; two (2) Beretta, model M9, 9mm pistols; a Colt, model M203, 40mm grenade launcher (“destructive device”); night vision goggles; and various military items stolen from the Lancaster National Guard Armory.
After the traffic stop, Polston and Ritter were located at a Lancaster motel and found in possession of a small quantity of methamphetamine. A review of surveillance video from the motel showed Polston, Ritter, and Cannon bringing the bags containing the firearms back and forth between the vehicle and the motel room. Searches of their cell phones revealed various photos and text messages relating to the firearms and sale of the firearms.
During the investigation, Polston admitted that on Thanksgiving Day, he jumped the fence of the Armory, where he found the building unsecured and no one present. The investigation has not uncovered any plan by any other person to assist Polston in the theft. Polston stole the firearms and other items and hid them in nearby woods.
Thereafter, Polston traded one 9mm handgun to a male in exchange for heroin, which he provided to a friend. Polston also sold two of the M-16s to two males in Lancaster in exchange for money, cocaine, and marijuana. Thereafter, Polston had Cannon drive him and Ritter back to the wooded area to retrieve the remaining firearms and other items. The group also traveled to the Rock Hill area, where Polston gave an M-16 to a female and received methamphetamine from her. The investigation revealed that while some of the stolen firearms were later recovered in possession of other felons, other firearms remain missing.
Polston and his co-defendants Ritter and Cannon are all prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon their prior state convictions. Polston has prior state convictions for breaking into autos (2 counts), malicious injury to person property over $2,000, but less than $10,000, assault and battery 1st degree, burglary 2nd degree (2 counts), receiving stolen goods over $2,000 but less than $10,000, and property offense 3rd or subsequent. Polston was released from the South Carolina Department of Corrections in February 2017.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Lancaster Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
This case 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.
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Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Quavis Jamar Rudisell, 29, of Lancaster, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court established that during the early morning hours of September 6, 2018, deputies with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department responded to a residence on Providence Road after receiving a 911 call in regard to a theft of money. The residence advised that Rudisell had been a guest in the home, stolen approximately $1,300, and fled on a silver moped. Officers with the Lancaster Police Department located Rudisell on the moped and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Rudisell jumped off the moped and fled into nearby woods, where he was later captured. Officers located the stolen money on Rudisell, along with a magazine loaded with rounds of 9mm ammunition. Rudisell admitted to throwing the firearm down. Officers did a search of the area and recovered a 9mm handgun with a large-capacity magazine loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition. He was arrested pursuant to a federal criminal complaint.
Rudisell is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon a prior state conviction for breach of trust with fraudulent intent more than $2,000 but less than $10,000 (2016) and a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine (2011). Rudisell had been released from federal prison and was on federal supervised release at the time of the instant offense.
Rudisell faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge. He also faces a revocation of his federal supervised release.
Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has received and reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lancaster Police Department. It is being 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.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina----United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Federal Grand Juries have returned Indictments against the following:
Charleston Area Men Face Federal Charges for Armored Car Robbery. Rashad Dingle of North Charleston, South Carolina, and Robert Lee Brown, II, of West Ashley, South Carolina, were charged in a 5-count indictment arising out of the April 10, 2018, robbery of an armored car driver. Among other charges, the indictment alleges a robbery affecting interstate commerce and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Dingle is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Both men face a maximum penalty of up to life in federal prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dorchester County Sheriff's Office and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office for prosecution.
Seabrook Island Man Indicted in $2M Fraud. Todd Vannatta, 42, of Seabrook Island, South Carolina, was charged in a 10-count superseding indictment. The indictment charges nine counts of wire fraud, with each count punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Count Ten charges False Statement and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. The indictment alleges that Vannatta used several businesses to steal approximately $2,000,000.00 from multiple investors. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office are prosecuting the case.
Illegal Aliens Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry. Marcelo Diaz-Cordero, 34; Melchor Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33; Juan Carlos Hernandez-Renteria, 34; Jorge Ramos-Luna, 31; and Sofronio Cruz-Aragon, 35, are each charged in separate Indictments with illegal re-entry to the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, depending on his record. The cases were investigated by agents of the ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville Office.
Three Spartanburg Residents Indicted on Conspiracy to Rip Off Housing Programs Designed to Help the Poor and Underprivileged. Tommy E. Quick, 69; Isaac T. Quick, 29; and John E. Bagwell, Jr., 78, all of Spartanburg, South Carolina, were charged in a one-count Indictment with conspiracy. The defendants face a maximum penalty of up to five years in federal prison. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Operators of Balanced Solutions Indicted for Scamming Patients Involving Scar Cream. Kristopher M. Oakes, 46, of Greenville, South Carolina; Christy L. Oakes, 47, of Greenville, South Carolina; Gerald S. Lemarr, 72, of Dandridge, Tennessee; Melissa G. Barbour, 57, of Travelers Rest, South Carolina; Erskine C. Carpenter, 21, of Taylors, South Carolina; Austin B. Cathcart, 28, of Greenville, South Carolina; and Deborah R. Cathcart, 58, of Greer, South Carolina, were charged in a one-count Indictment with attempt and conspiracy. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Enoree Resident Indicted for Child Pornography Possession and Sexually Explicit Conduct. Jeremey A. Bennett, 27, of Enoree, South Carolina, was charged in a two-count Indictment with possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children. Bennett faces of maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
This case is being 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.
Simpsonville Resident Indicted on Embezzlement from Social Security Administration. Melissa Thames, 48, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with embezzlement. The maximum penalty Thames could receive is 10 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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