District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Felon Responsible for Three State Police Chase Sentenced to 71 Months Imprisonment on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jamie Scoen (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Mark Anthony Stone, age 32, of Rabun, Georgia was sentenced today in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina, for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson sentenced Stone to seventy-one months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a one-hundred dollar special assessment.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on June 29, 2015, Macon County, Georgia law enforcement officers attempted to pull Stone over for speeding. Stone fled from police, beginning a chase through Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, jeopardizing the lives of members of law enforcement and the public. Stone was eventually arrested in Oconee County, South Carolina, where he fled from officers on foot. Inside Stone’s vehicle, officers found a loaded .22 caliber rifle with a round in the chamber. Due to Stone’s prior convictions, including burglaries and aggravated assault, Stone was prohibited from carrying firearms at the time of his arrest.The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Macon County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; the Rabun County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Highland, North Carolina Police Department; and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen 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.
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Day of Community Civil Rights DiscussionsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina --- As part of the Department of Justice’s commitment to building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, on Tuesday, October 4, the District of South Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office held a day long series of round table discussions and forums. The goal of these meeting was to address the civil rights work being done through the coordinated efforts of community leaders and law enforcement and how better to meet the challenges of 21st Century policing.
The day began with a Civil Rights Breakfast at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia with a cross section of community leaders in attendance, joined by state and federal law enforcement. Deputy Chief Forrest Christian of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division discussed the hate crime laws and the statutes used to prosecute excessive force cases. Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake highlighted prosecutions in recent years by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the hate crime and excessive force laws. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Brian Jones described how his office works civil rights investigations, including those worked with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on officer-involved shootings and other use of force cases. S.C. Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel addressed the state investigation and prosecution of excessive force claims. Director Jackie Swindler of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy talked about how his agency trains law enforcement officers in de-escalation and some of the physical challenges to law enforcement. The meeting was then opened to discussion where these heads of agency talked with members of the community. Representatives of the African-American business, civil and religious community, as well as representatives from the Muslim, Sikh and LGBT communities, participated in the discussions.
South Carolina Director of Public Safety Leroy Smith participated in the breakfast discussion. “I am privileged to take part in this forum that brings together state and federal law enforcement partners with our community leaders,” said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith. “As we have learned from incidents in our own state and throughout our nation, establishing trust in our communities starts with accountability and transparency. I believe open and frequent communication are key to building trust and support in our communities before a crisis.”
The day continued with Deputy Chief Forrest Christian, Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake, Criminal Chief Nancy Wicker and Supervisory Special Agent Brian Jones visiting first with Sheriff Leon Lott’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee and later City of Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook Citizen’s Advisory Committee. The focus of these meetings was to further the discussion of the federal program for civil rights enforcement, and the value of state partnerships in working these cases.
Michael Stansbury, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Columbia Field Office said, “The FBI in South Carolina appreciates the opportunity provided by the United States Attorney’s Office to meet with these community groups and discuss these important issues. While law enforcement officers, including FBI Special Agents, and other officials receive certain powers from the people so they can prevent wrongs and enforce the law, these same officers and officials must be held accountable for the way they use those powers. Violating the public’s trust undermines the hard and sacrificial work of all law enforcement officers. The FBI is confident this dialogue today will help to strengthen the trust communities have in law enforcement agencies throughout South Carolina.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Drake said, “The Citizens Advisory Committee meetings were terrific. Sheriff Lott is on the front end of the move to strengthen police-community relations by talking about policing practices. He and his command staff regularly meet with a standing committee of community members. His goal is to advance public safety through mutual trust and respect built on personal relationships between law enforcement and the people in Richland County his officers are sworn to protect. When his officers have a problem, Sheriff Lott has a record of taking responsibility and taking action to ensure accountability. As a consequence, the community has a high level of trust in our Sheriff’s Department.”
Attorney Drake also noted, “Chief Holbrook has developed a detailed plan for implementation of the report coming out of The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing which is posted on the CPD website. Such efforts grow community confidence in the police department.
www.columbiapd.net/pdfs/publications/CPD-Community-Based_Plan-Final-12-3-2015.pdf
Chief Holbrook’s work in Columbia has gained national attention. 21st Century Policing Task Force report Clearly, Chief Holbrook is committed to and is an advocate for evolving police practices to face the challenges in the 21st Century.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said, “We in the USAO work closely with the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the FBI on cases that are headed to federal court. However, our state and local partners have a critically important role in prosecuting civil rights violations, and, equally, or perhaps more importantly, in working to prevent problems before they arise.
We have a tradition of community policing here in South Carolina, a state where we still know our neighbors. However, it is the American way to always do more and do better. Our strength is innovation, and policing, like engineering, can be made stronger through innovation and research. SLED Chief Keel has certainly demonstrated how we can advance public safety through data and research, whether it is the SLED FUSION Center where he can access technology to respond to an AMBER Alert, or working with newly appointed SC Criminal Justice Academy Director Jackie Swindler on de-escalation training.”
Chief Keel talked about the role of SLED in doing an investigation after an officer uses his or her firearm, “As a part of their job, police officers face danger and over the course of a career, there will be times when an officer may use force in responding to a situation. When SLED gets the call that an officer has used their firearm, we will do an investigation that is full and fair to all involved to determine whether use of the firearm was justified under the circumstances. Plain and simple, the facts are the facts. We don’t make the facts, we discover and report them. Our agents do their work to ensure these cases get the attention they deserve.”
Director Swindler, S.C. Criminal Justice Academy, described some of the recent on-line training offered to every police and sheriff’s department in South Carolina, “Training law enforcement has always been essential and important, but no more so than in today’s current times. At the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, we are constantly re-evaluating our training so that it is relevant. In every basic law enforcement class, recruits are exposed to a great deal of training in the areas of cultural professionalism, conflict resolution, de-escalation and de-confliction. They are not only exposed to classroom exercises but also to hands-on scenario based instruction.
In addition to the aforementioned training for recruits, recently in a partnership between the Academy and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, of the more than 12,000 Class I officers in South Carolina, more than 8,800 officers have received verbal conflict on-line training conducted by Chief Harry Dolan (Ret.). This training was designed to provide officers with communication skills to help de-escalate potentially volatile situations without unnecessary use of force.”
Director Swindler referenced training where the U.S. Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee joined with the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy and the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Association to develop a web-based training to provide verbal de-escalation training. The on-line training is an introduction for newer officers in developing practical verbal conflict management and a refresher for experienced officers on de-escalating potentially volatile encounters between law enforcement and citizens. The de-escalation training has a dual goal of enhancing both officer and community safety by expanding the public safety professional’s tools to serve as guardians of the peace.
Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake closed by announcing that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has recently hired two full-time prosecutors to handle both civil and criminal civil rights allegations. She invited the community to visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office web site to learn more about the work of the U.S. Attorney. www.justice.gov/usao-sc . “If you have a community event and you would like to have our office attend, there is an icon on our web page where you can click to request a speaker.”
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Three Columbia Area Residents Sentenced in FHA Mortgage Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: John Potterfield (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Robert J. Sellers Jr., age 62, of Columbia, Marlyn Hammett, age 68 of West Columbia, and Amy Wilson, age 51 of Swansea, were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Columbia, for conspiracy to commit loan application fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour of Columbia sentenced Sellers to 12 months and one day imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and ordered him to pay $702,314.47 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Hammett was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $702,314.47 in restitution to HUD/FHA. Wilson was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and ordered to pay $144,640 in restitution to HUD/FHA.
Evidence presented at their change of plea hearings established that Sellers Jr., Hammett and Wilson conspired to defraud lending institutions and HUD/FHA by falsifying documents of FHA loan applicants and fraudulently providing the FHA required 3.5% down payment funds for buyers of their properties. The conspirators concealed the origin of the down payment funds and caused false statements on loan applications and other documents to be filed, resulting in dozens of foreclosures.
The case was investigated by agents of The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney John Potterfield of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.#####
Spartanburg Man Pleads Guilty to Treasury Check ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Joshua A. Martin, age 29, of Spartanburg, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Anderson, to conspiracy to pass Treasury checks of the United States bearing falsely made or forged endorsements, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Martin and co-defendant Brandy Page (who has already pled guilty) obtained Treasury checks by filing false tax returns and from other sources. They then would create a fraudulent power of attorney form giving them authority to cash the check that falsely purported to be executed by the payee listed on the Treasury check. Law enforcement estimates that the duo cashed over $200,000 in Treasury checks in this manner before her scheme was discovered.
Law enforcement discovered the scheme in March 2014 when the Greer Police Department received a complaint from a Georgia man that someone had stolen and cashed his Treasury check in the Greer Wal-Mart. The driver’s license number and date of birth written on the check came back to Page. The Internal Revenue Service assisted local authorities and uncovered the breadth of Page’s scheme.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Martin can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greer Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
#####Greenwood Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that David Paul Fuller, age 55, of Greenwood, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Anderson, to possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that this case originated from the take down of a child pornography website in Switzerland. Agents were able to identify the IP address of Fuller as active on the website. This information and further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant on Fuller’s home. When asked by agents if they would find child pornography on his computer, Fuller said “I hope not.” Upon further questioning he admitted to visiting websites to view what he described as “questionable material.” Agents seized his computers and subjected them to a forensic examination. The examination revealed hundreds of images of children, some of which were pre-pubescent, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Fuller can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, plus a special assessment of $100. He is subject to a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence because of a prior state child pornography possession conviction.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled 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 Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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National Heroin and Opioid Awareness WeekRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
The United States is in midst of a prescription opioid and heroin epidemic that threatens our communities, families, and children. Heroin use, and the abuse of prescription opioids, has impacted the smallest as well as largest communities in our country. In 2014, over 27,000 lives were lost due to heroin and opioids, representing over half of the drug-related deaths reported in 2014. Also at issue is the recent rise in deaths caused by fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid much stronger than heroin. Recognizing the heartbreaking impact that the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic has had on our country, the Attorney General has designated the week of September 19 as National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week.
The number of heroin-related overdose deaths increased 244% between 2007 and 2013. The increase in new heroin users and overdose deaths is linked to the overwhelming abuse of prescription opioids. Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commented, “When the source of supply dries up, or when the money runs out, in order to feed their addiction, our kids, our cousins and our neighbors are turning from opioid prescription medicines to the cheaper heroin. And quite literally, they are looking death in the face on that first needle or unsourced pill, because increasingly, what is on the streets and available through the internet is laced with the much stronger fentanyl, a drug used to tranquilize zoo animals.” Prescription opioids and heroin are highly addictive and are themselves responsible for the majority of overdose deaths in this country. Four out of five new heroin users previously abused prescription drugs, which is feeding the heroin crisis we are experiencing. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is anywhere from 25 to 50 times more potent than heroin, is here in South Carolina and is responsible for an increasing number of deaths. Fentanyl is so strong that the equivalent of a few grains of sugar can kill someone. Given that it is stronger and more readily accessed because it is synthetic, unscrupulous drug dealers mix fentanyl with heroin or sell it as heroin. Also, these drug dealers are using fentanyl to manufacture counterfeit tablets, pills, and capsules that mimic prescription drugs.
The President has made clear that addressing the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic is a priority for his Administration. The Department of Justice has responded to the growing trend in heroin and prescription opioid abuse with a three-pronged approach consisting of prevention, enforcement, and treatment.
In light of the heroin and opioid crises, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is committed to reducing the illegal supply of these deadly drugs by working closely with our federal, state and local partners to prosecute the dealers up and down the chain of supply, be they street dealers, corrupt doctors or pharmacists, or internet operations. Because of the staggering increase in the abuse and diversion of prescription opioids, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stood up a new enforcement group, called the Tactical Diversion Squad, specifically to investigate and remove illegal pharmaceutical traffickers in the state of South Carolina.
The heroin and opioid health care crisis is national in scope, but it is here South Carolina. The United States Attorney’s Office is diligently working with federal and state law enforcement colleagues in an effort to address the real dangers posed by the significant rise in heroin and prescription opioid abuse. Below are a few illustrative examples of how heroin, prescription opioids, and fentanyl are directly impacting our state and how the United States Attorney’s Office, in a joint effort with law enforcement, is working to disrupt and dismantle the criminal organizations that are putting these opiates on our streets.
- In 2013, the DEA’s Charleston Office began an investigation after a significant increase in heroin overdoses, including three deaths, in the Charleston tri-county area. Edward Singleton was identified as a large-scale heroin distributor in Charleston. The DEA conducted several controlled purchases of heroin from Singleton, and through further investigation, learned that Singleton’s major heroin source of supply was Kenneth Shannon. The investigation ultimately culminated in the execution of a search warrant of Shannon’s residence and the seizure of over 130 grams of heroin. As a result of the investigation, federal charges were brought against eleven individuals for their roles in a large-scale conspiracy to distribute heroin. Singleton pled guilty to multiple counts of conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin. On July 29, 2016, following a three-day jury trial, Shannon was convicted of seven counts of unlawfully distributing heroin. Both Singleton and Shannon are awaiting sentencing.
- On January 19, 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina announced an indictment charging multiple individuals, including Dr. Mackie James Walker, Jr., a podiatrist of Aiken, South Carolina, with their roles in a conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone, a powerful opioid based painkiller. The investigation began due to the large amounts of oxycodone being illegally distributed in and around Aiken. Throughout the investigation, agents learned that Dr. Walker was selling prescriptions to addicts and drug traffickers for up to $1,000 per prescription, and that one of the individuals who received a prescription for oxycodone from Dr. Walker died of an overdose. Evidence obtained throughout the investigation showed that Dr. Walker relied upon others to recruit dozens of individuals to come to his practice and purchase prescriptions of oxycodone. After analyzing text messages, prescription data, and statements from Dr. Walker’s coconspirators, agents determined that, from 2013 to 2015, Dr. Walker wrote illegal prescriptions for 51,580 oxycodone pills. In total, thirteen individuals were indicted for conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone. On August 17, 2016, Dr. Walker pled guilty to federal drug charges and is awaiting sentencing.
- In January 2016, the DEA and FBI, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, began investigating the escalation of heroin distribution plaguing Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas following more than twenty heroin overdose deaths. Initial lab results related to the deaths suggested that pure fentanyl had been substituted for, or mixed with, heroin and sold to drug addicts. The investigation led agents to a significant drug trafficking organization that, at times, would conduct up to forty drug transactions in a five hour period. In March 2016, federal and local law enforcement initiated various enforcement actions, including arrest and search warrants on various targets associated with the drug trafficking organization. Agents seized pure fentanyl, heroin, multiple firearms, and approximately $80,000 in cash from storage units associated with the drug trafficking organization. In the weeks and months following the investigation and dismantlement of the drug network operating out of the Myrtle Beach area, the number of heroin-related overdose deaths in the Myrtle Beach area significantly declined. To increase coordination and cooperation between the United States Attorney’s Office and state prosecutors, the United States Attorney’s Office designated two state prosecutors as Special United States Attorneys.
- Federal prosecutors and agents currently are working with state and local law enforcement in Greenville, South Carolina following the significant rise in overdoses and deaths related to heroin and fentanyl users. Field reports reveal that, in 2015, there were a total of forty-one heroin/fentanyl related overdose deaths in Greenville County, compared to eleven homicides.
The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office solicited the assistance of the DEA in an effort to identify and dismantle organizations associated with the distribution of heroin and fentanyl within Greenville. In response, the DEA has opened multiple different investigations that target mid-level heroin dealers in Greenville.“In order to short-circuit the problem, we are all going to have to work together. Parents, when a physician lawfully prescribes your child an opiate after a football injury or dental surgery, supervise your child’s taking the medicine, and if there are any dosage units remaining, dispose of them at a take-back center. Also, to all parents, youth groups and mentors, review the movie “Chasing the Dragon,” available on the DEA and FBI web sites, to see if it is age-appropriate for your children. The short film is a compelling, true-life rendition of how opiate abuse cuts across the lines of age, race, gender and wealth. Physicians, prescribe the minimum number of opiate pills appropriate in your judgment, even if it means that the patient is going to have to refill. That bathroom medicine cabinet is in many cases the first introduction to abuse of opiates. Pharmacists, if you suspect a prescription is fraudulent, call law enforcement. We as ordinary Americans can make a difference. In the meantime, you can be assured that your Federal and State officials, from the legislator to the agency administrator to the law enforcement officer, are working to tighten the noose on the illegal source of supply and provide greater treatment options for those who have succumbed to the addiction,” said Acting USA Beth Drake.
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- In 2013, the DEA’s Charleston Office began an investigation after a significant increase in heroin overdoses, including three deaths, in the Charleston tri-county area. Edward Singleton was identified as a large-scale heroin distributor in Charleston. The DEA conducted several controlled purchases of heroin from Singleton, and through further investigation, learned that Singleton’s major heroin source of supply was Kenneth Shannon. The investigation ultimately culminated in the execution of a search warrant of Shannon’s residence and the seizure of over 130 grams of heroin. As a result of the investigation, federal charges were brought against eleven individuals for their roles in a large-scale conspiracy to distribute heroin. Singleton pled guilty to multiple counts of conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin. On July 29, 2016, following a three-day jury trial, Shannon was convicted of seven counts of unlawfully distributing heroin. Both Singleton and Shannon are awaiting sentencing.
Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bradley Parham (843) 727-4381
Florence, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Angela McLeod, age 44, of Dillon, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence, to bribery, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(2)(C). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence 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.
Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that from 2013 to 2015, McLeod, who was a Federal Correctional Officer at the time, accepted bribes from inmates and their associates in exchange for which she brought contraband, specifically tobacco, to inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Bennettsville. Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty for bribery is imprisonment for 15 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.
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2016 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina – The United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee hosted the annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon today at the Fort Jackson Officers' Club, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The awards luncheon was attended by state, local and federal law enforcement officials from across the state.
Federal – Special Agent Jeffrey Long, Federal Bureau of Investigation State – Assistant Chief Paul M. Grant, SLED City – Chief William Wallace Oswald, Batesburg-Leesville Police Department County – Sheriff A. Lane Cribb, Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office
The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2016 awards:
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. An annual award is given in each of four categories: (1) City Officer; (2) County Officer; (3) State Officer; and (4) Federal Officer. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with a police chief and sheriff who have received the award, selected the recipients from nominations received from across the state.
Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated, "It is an honor to recognize these four outstanding officers. Each of these officers exemplifies the best in law enforcement, serving their agencies, this state and our nation with distinction, integrity, and character. Their career path from officer on the street to executive, comes at great personal sacrifice for which we the people owe a debt of gratitude.” Federal Recipient Special Agent Jeffrey M. Long Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Jeffrey M. Long graduated from Westfield State College in 1982, with a degree in Criminal Justice. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986, achieving the rank of First Lieutenant. In 1987, Special Agent Long began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Hudson Police Department in Hudson, New Hampshire. In 1989, he joined the New Hampshire State Police as a State Trooper where he worked for eight years. While serving as a State Trooper, he was a member of the New Hampshire State Police SWAT team and a Firearms Instructor. In 1997, Special Agent Long joined the FBI. Upon graduating from the FBI Academy, he was assigned to the Columbia Field Office’s Myrtle Beach Residence Agency where he has spent the last 19 years as an FBI Special Agent. He has worked various crimes including bank robberies, violent gangs, criminal enterprise investigations, child pornography, armored car heists, and high profile kidnapping cases. Special Agent Long was the lead case agent on a horrific kidnapping and murder investigation which resulted in the first two federal death penalty sentences in South Carolina history. Special Agent Long has had an enormous impact in the Myrtle Beach community and the state of South Carolina during his FBI career. He has been a leader in Myrtle Beach through his liaison with outside agencies, his guidance and direction in complex and high profile investigations, and most importantly his servant based attitude of helping others. During his distinguished career, Special Agent Long has served on the FBI SWAT team, Evidence Response Team, and as a National Academy Class Counselor during 2005. State Recipient Assistant Chief Paul “Cricket” Grant SC Law Enforcement Division Assistant Chief Paul “Cricket” Grant began his career with SLED on August 6, 1976, as a Field Agent. He rose through the ranks at SLED, being named Assistant Chief on October 2, 2015. Prior to being named to his present position he was the Major of Investigative Services, where he provided direct oversight and leadership to the largest component of SLED and supervised all investigative matters handled by the agency. Prior to assuming that position, he served as Captain over the Midlands Investigative Region and as Lieutenant over the Midlands Investigative Region. Cricket is a veteran law enforcement officer having more than 40 years of dedicated service. His interest in law enforcement and public service began at an early age, as his father was a veteran law enforcement officer who retired after serving 16 years as the Sheriff of Aiken County. Assistant Chief Grant’s educational background includes an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina, a graduate of the only all SLED Agent class from the S. C. Criminal Justice Academy and a 2003 graduate of the FBI National Academy, 212th Session. Assistant Chief Grant has mentored many law enforcement officers around the state, many of whom hold high level law enforcement administrative positions. Throughout his forty-year career, he has been involved in countless high-profile cases that, but for his investigative knowledge, an ability to forge long lasting partnerships with local law enforcement and his leadership abilities, may not have been solved. Assistant Chief Grant is currently an active member of the South Carolina FBI National Associates, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers and the Aiken Sertoma Club. Assistant Chief Grant and his wife, Marilyn, are active members of Millbrook Baptist Church. City Recipient Chief William Wallace Oswald Batesburg-Leesville Police Department Chief William Wallace Oswald has served the Batesburg-Leesville community as a law enforcement officer for more than 40 years, beginning with the Batesburg Police Department in March 1976. In May 1979, he was promoted to the position of Chief of Police, where he has remained until this day. Having served as Chief of Police for more than 37 years, he is likely the longest serving chief in South Carolina history. Over the years, Chief Oswald has instituted numerous programs and initiatives to improve services to the community and the safety of his officers, including the department’s first explosives response program and the department’s first Narcotics Interdiction Dog Program. Chief Oswald’s department was the first in the central midlands to have a body-worn camera program and many departments reached out to him for his policy and recommendations. With training at the heart of his leadership style, Chief Oswald has literally trained generations of local law enforcement officers in firearms proficiency and defensive tactics. Chief Oswald is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 147th Session and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Limestone College in 2005. He served in the Army National Guard from 1988 to 2011, attaining the rank of Command Sergeant Major. His service to his country includes deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in an ordinance disposal unit. While on active duty, he was awarded two Bronze Stars. Chief Oswald resides in Batesburg—Leesville with his wife and two children.
County Recipient Sheriff A. Lane Cribb Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Cribb began his career in law enforcement with the South Carolina Alcohol Beverage Commission as an Investigator in 1973. He then worked as a Criminal Investigator with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office until he returned home to work as an Investigator with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Cribb is currently serving his sixth term as Sheriff of Georgetown County. Under Sheriff Cribb’s leadership, Georgetown County’s crime clearance rates far exceed national and state levels. He has established more than thirty Neighborhood Watch programs, the successful Georgetown County Sheriff’s Re-Entry program, the Georgetown Sheriff’s Family Justice Center, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Family Justice Center, and the G-MEN group which raises money and community awareness about domestic violence. Sheriff Cribb attended Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Limestone College, and the University of Alabama. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is also a graduate of the Carolina Command College, National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, Law Enforcement Executive Development School at the FBI Academy, and numerous other law enforcement training schools. Sheriff Cribb resides in Pawley’s Island of Georgetown County with his wife, Craig, and they have three children. #####2016 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina – Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA), and the Strom Thurmond Foundation will host a luncheon on Friday, September 9, 2016, for the presentation of the 2016 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement. These awards, established in 1983 by Senator Strom Thurmond, are presented annually to a city, county, state, and federal law enforcement officer who have demonstrated the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement. The awards ceremony will be attended by law enforcement officers from throughout the state.
The 2016 awards luncheon will be held at the Fort Jackson Officers’ Club at Fort Jackson. Lunch will begin at 12:00 Noon and the awards program will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. The names of award recipients will be announced during the luncheon.
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Sumter Couple Accused of Running Chop Shop and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Contact Person: DeWayne Pearson (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina – Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Frederick Deon Galloway, 40, and his wife, Tawania Moneik Galloway, 41, both of Sumter, South Carolina, were indicted by a federal grand jury in a four count indictment. Frederick Galloway was indicted for one count of tampering and removing a vehicle identification number (VIN), in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 511 and 2, and one count of operating a chop shop in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 2322(a)(1) and 2. Tawania Galloway and Frederick Galloway were also indicted for one count of federal witness tampering, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1512(c)(2), and one count of making a false entry in a sworn affidavit with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence a federal investigation, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, section 1519. If convicted on all counts, Frederick Galloway is facing up to 5 years for removing a VIN, and up to 15 years for the chop shop violation. Frederick Galloway and Tawania Galloway are also facing up to 20 years for the witness tampering charge and up to 20 years for providing a false sworn statement.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Sumter Police Department, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia, SC.
The Acting United States Attorney 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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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Federal and State Housing ProgramsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Erick Bradshaw, Sr., age 41, of Kentucky, pled guilty Thursday, September 1, 2016, in federal court in Greenville, to conspiracy to defraud federal and state housing programs, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Fresh Start Community Development Corporation (FSCDC) was created by Bradshaw as a non-profit organization that worked on repairing homes through grants from the South Carolina State Housing Finance Development Authority (“SC Housing”) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLBank Atlanta”). Bradshaw was the executive director of FSCDC.
Bradshaw sought grant monies from FHLBank Atlanta and SC Housing for the rehabilitation of low-income homes. He forged the signature of contractors on FHLBank Atlanta Funding Certifications and SC Housing Certifications of Payment. He also submitted certifications to FHLBank Atlanta and Draw Request for Payments to SC Housing that had inflated costs compared to the invoices of the contractors who actually performed the work. Often some work described as completed on the certifications such as handicap ramps on front porches were never completed though it was represented in documentation that the work was complete.
Agents interviewed Bradshaw and he admitted that FSCDC did not do what it was supposed to do. Contrary to program rules, Bradshaw negotiated with the contractors who were working on the houses for lower prices than were reported to the agencies. For example if SC Housing funded a roof repair for $5,000 based on documents submitted by FSCDC, and Bradshaw was able to negotiate with the contractor for $3,000, then FSCDC would keep the $2,000 difference. Bradshaw did this for some of the FHLBank funded properties, too.
The loss suffered by the programs is approximately $282,000.
According to Special Agent in Charge Tim Mowery of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, “The Affordable Housing Program funded by the Federal Home Loan Banks is meant to help the most vulnerable in society with their housing needs. When someone takes advantage of the program to profit for their own benefit, we will make sure they are brought to justice.”
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Bradshaw can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Inspector General’s Office of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins handled the case.
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Greenville Couple Pleads Guilty to Mail Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Cary L. Wright, age 38, and Tanya A. Wright, age 29, both of Greenville, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Greenville, to a conspiracy to commit mail theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the defendants stole mail in and around Greenville County in an effort to obtain bank account numbers, routing numbers, and identification information. Once in possession of this material they would create counterfeit checks and negotiate them to obtain money for methamphetamine. On June 10, 2016, a search warrant was executed at the home of the Wrights in Greenville. Items recovered from the residence included, but was not limited to, numerous pieces of mail belonging to others, checks stolen from the mail, financial transaction cards, blank check stock, counterfeit checks, and a computer used for check counterfeiting.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty defendants can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greenville City Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
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Anderson Women Plead Guilty to Mail Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Karissa L. Miller, age 25, and Ruby A. Adams, age 54, both of Anderson, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Greenville, to a conspiracy to commit mail theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the defendants stole mail in and around Anderson County in an effort to obtain blank checks that are often sent to bank customers along with their statements. Once in possession of the checks, they would open bank accounts, forge the checks, and deposit the checks into the accounts. Defendants would withdraw money from the accounts before their fraud was discovered.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty defendants can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Anderson Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
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Charleston Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Prison for Making a False Statement to the Department of LaborRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Dean Secor (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Jose Jamie Villalpando, a/k/a “Jamie Villapondo,” age 48, of Charleston, owner of Senor Tequila Restaurants in Charleston, was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for False Statement, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(1). United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Villalpando to five (5) months imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and payment of a $100 special assessment. Judge Norton also ordered Villalpando to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division in the amount of $76,575.92.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the Wage & Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor (DOL) began an investigation into whether Senor Tequila Mexican Restaurants (Senor Tequila) was paying its employees proper minimum wage and overtime pay in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. The investigation found that Senor Tequila had failed to pay seven of its employees a total of approximately $106,103.05 in minimum wage and overtime pay for the period of July 28, 2008 to July 19, 2010.
Villalpando agreed to pay the back wages. However, instead of paying all of the back wages he devised and executed a scheme in 2011 in an attempt to deceive WHD investigators and avoid the payment of back wages owed to three of the employees in the amount of $76,575.92.
Villalpando executed the scheme by writing “Senor Tequila” back wages paychecks to the three employees. Villalpando then took those employees to the bank used by Senor Tequila and helped them set up accounts (one employee already had an account at the bank). Villalpando then had the three employees deposit the back wages paychecks into their respective bank accounts. Over the next several weeks, Villalpando had the three employees withdraw the amounts of the back wages paychecks from their accounts in increments and give the money back to him. Villalpando then mailed letters to WHD stating that he paid the three employees, and he attached copies of the cancelled back wages paychecks in an attempt to show that he had in fact paid the employees.
Acting U.S. Attorney Drake stated the maximum penalty for False Statement is imprisonment for 5 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Three Plead Guilty to Robbery of Carolina CashersRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jamie Schoen (864) 282-2100
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Greenville, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that yesterday Mark Betancourt, age 31, of Greenville, SC; Juan Betancourt, age 23, of Greenville, SC; and Joseph Sansosti, age 23, of Simpsonville, SC, entered guilty pleas in federal court in Greenville, to one count Hobbs Act Robbery, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), one count Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and one count Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence reports which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Mark Betancourt, Juan Betancourt, and Joseph Sansosti robbed Carolina Cashers on May 23, 2015. That morning, Joseph Sansosti and Juan Betancourt pushed their way into the business. Sansosti then grabbed an employee, placing her in a headlock, and pressed a gun to her head. Sansosti demanded money from the employee, which the robbers placed in a bag held by Juan Betancourt. The two men then ran out of the store to the getaway car, which was driven by Mark Betancourt.
Acting United States Attorney Drake stated the maximum penalty for Hobbs Act Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery is imprisonment for 20 years and/or a fine of $250,000.00, and the maximum penalty for Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence is imprisonment for not less than seven (7) years consecutive to any other sentence, up to a maximum of Life.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.
Greenville Medical Practice Receives Probationary Sentence and Agrees to Pay $300,000 to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Neurology Associates of Greenville, P.A., pled guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Greenville, for receiving misbranded drugs in interstate commerce, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 331(c). United States Magistrate Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin of Greenville placed the practice on 3 years of federal probation. No fine was imposed because the practice, in settlement of a parallel civil case brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, agreed to pay $300,000 to the United States due to the submission of Medicare claims for non-approved botulinum toxin (Botox).
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that under federal law no form of Botox may be commercially distributed for use on humans unless it has been approved by FDA. Only Allergan’s product manufactured in the United States is approved and licensed by the FDA. Records obtained during this investigation show that the practice from 2010-2013 purchased non-FDA approved Botox from a wholesaler who purchased the Botox from a factory in Ireland. This drug is deemed misbranded under federal law as it was not FDA approved for sale in the United States. The practice received this non-FDA approved Botox in interstate commerce.
The case was investigated by agents of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the criminal case and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Aldrich of the Columbia office handled the civil case.
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Federal Court Bars Two Fraudulent Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
Contact: Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007
Washington—A federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, has permanently barred two women from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced.
According to a civil complaint filed by the United States, Latasha Failey and her sister Latoya Windham prepared federal income returns in North Charleston from 2009 to 2012. They continually and repeatedly prepared income tax returns that claimed false deductions or credits in order to understate their customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleged. The defendants falsely claimed education credits; child and dependent care credits; itemized deductions on Schedule A; and dependency exemptions, according to the complaint. In 2013, Failey and Windham each pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false income tax return and were sentenced to prison and probation, respectively, the complaint states.
The court’s order also requires Failey and Windham to give the United States a list of all of their return preparation customers since Jan. 1, 2013.
Return preparer fraud is one of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2016. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
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DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE USE THE CONTACTS IN THE MESSAGE OR CALL THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT 202-514-2007.
Jury Returns Verdict Against Easley Man in Mail Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Richard Elmer Sundblad, age 65, of Easley, was found guilty in federal court in Greenville, for aiding and abetting a scheme and artifice to defraud by use of the mails, a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia presided over the trial and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the trial established that Richard Sundblad’s wife Retta worked as the purchasing manager for Griffin Thermal Products (“GTP”), a Greenville County business that manufactures high-end, custom-made radiators. Retta Sundblad has pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing. During an internal audit in December 2014, GTP determined that beginning in or around 2012 a large number of invoices had been submitted to GTP by a business named Upstate Industrial Services, LLC (“Upstate Industrial”). GTP discovered that Upstate Industrial had never provided any products or services and that the Upstate Industrial invoices were fictitious. A template for Upstate Industrial invoices was found on the work computer of Retta Sundblad. An investigation revealed that Upstate Industrial was formed by Richard Sundblad and that he deposited numerous GTP checks into a bank account that he and his wife controlled. The stolen money enabled the Sundblads to purchase cars, a motor coach, and to generally live a lavish lifestyle.
The loss to GTP from the scheme exceeds $800,000.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty the Sundblads can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the United Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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Greenville Man Pleads Guilty and Nine Others Sentenced in Access Device Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jeanne Howard (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Dalvin Michael Davenport, Jr., age 23, of Greenville, South Carolina, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Anderson, to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and money laundering, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029 and 1956. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Davenport, along with other members of the conspiracy, recruited cashiers at various businesses to credit funds onto Green Dot, Visa and other prepaid cards without receiving payment. Immediately after obtaining the prepaid cards, members of the conspiracy activated and depleted the cards of the fraudulently loaded funds. In total, the conspiracy resulted in a loss of over $264,000.00, to several businesses in South Carolina and Georgia.
Other members of the conspiracy who previously entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced include the following: Vincenzo Mikkel Byers, age 26, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to 36 months imprisonment; Cierra Andreous James, age 24, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to 30 months imprisonment; Brandon Christopher Davis, age 26, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, sentenced to 30 months imprisonment; Tony Christopher Robinson, age 24, of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, sentenced to 18 months imprisonment; Davario Rashad Clinkscale, age 23, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to 30 months imprisonment; Eric Ross Wilson, age 26, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to 30 months imprisonment; Terrance Justin Davis, age 27, of Mauldin, South Carolina, sentenced to 21 months imprisonment; Quentin Nathaniel McClinton, age 25, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to time served; and, Adam Isaiah Posley, age 21, of Greenville, South Carolina, sentenced to 3 years’ probation.
The case was investigated by agents of the FBI Upstate Gang Task Force and the U. S. Treasury Department, IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office handled the case.
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Former Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Firearms to Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nick Bianchi (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Tony Allen Riley, age 62, of Goose Creek, SC, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for selling a firearm to a person he knew to be under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Senior United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour of Charleston sentenced Riley to twelve months and one day imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that in December 2013, on two separate occasions, Riley sold firearms to an individual that Riley knew to be under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. At the time Riley sold the firearms, he was employed as a deputy with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, where he had previously held the rank of lieutenant prior to his retirement in 2008 and subsequent return to the Sheriff’s Office in 2009.
Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said, “Community policing is a time-honored practice here in our state. Effective community policing is founded on both the desire of officers to protect and serve and the trust of the people the officers serve. That trust is critical to both the safety of our officers and our communities. For this reason, both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, will give top priority to prosecuting those few officers who commit abuses, dishonoring their badge and the bravery and integrity of their fellow officers.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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22 Indicted for Racketeering and Fraud Emanating from Murphy VillageRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Hannah Carroll, Rose M. Mulholland, Kim Mulholland, Caroline Sherlock, Catherine Carroll, Anthony Carroll, Johnny M. Sherlock, Mary Rita Sherlock, Jimmy Gorman, Leslie Gorman, Leslie Ann Sherlock, Jimmy J. Carroll, Mary Costello, Mary Gorman Carroll, Renee Carroll, Rose S. Mulholland, Susan Sherlock Tommy Sherlock, William Carroll, and Johnny Mack, all of North Augusta, South Carolina, and Leonard New and Angela Askew, of Augusta, Georgia; were charged in a 45 count Indictment for Racketeering (RICO) and other crimes related to their fraudulent schemes. According to allegations in the Indictment, the defendants operated out of Murphy Village near North Augusta and committed a number of fraudulent schemes in order to obtain life insurance benefits, food stamps, Medicaid funds, and fraud involving automobile financing.
The Indictment charges all defendants with RICO Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 1962), other counts in the Indictment name various defendants in counts charging Mail Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), Wire Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), Structuring monetary transactions to evade reporting requirements (31 U.S.C. § 5324), and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Items (18 U.S.C. § 2314).
The charge of RICO Conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine; Mail and Wire Fraud each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine; Structuring carries a maximum sentence of 5 years and a $250,000 fine; and the charge of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Items carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, these charges include a maximum term of supervised release following imprisonment of 3 years.
This long-term, multi-agency investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshal’s Service; United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; the South Carolina Department of Social Services; and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May and Jay Richardson from the Columbia Office and Rhett Dehart from the Charleston Office for prosecution.
The Acting United States Attorney 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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Federal Court in South Carolina Orders Robert S. Leben and Amy L. Leben to Pay over $10 Million in Restitution and Penalties in CFTC Anti-Fraud Enforcement ActionRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Dennis Holden (202) 418-5088 & Steven Adamske (202) 418-5080
In a Parallel Criminal Action, Robert Leben Was Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison
Washington, DC - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that Chief Judge Terry L. Wooten of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina entered a summary judgment Order against Defendants Robert S. Leben and Amy L. Leben of Columbia, South Carolina, in a CFTC enforcement action charging the Lebens with misappropriating pool participant funds and failing to register as commodity pool operators (see CFTC Press Release 6881-14). In addition, the CFTC Complaint charged Robert Leben with issuing false statements and fraudulently soliciting pool participants by guaranteeing returns and the safety of each pool participant’s principal investment. The Complaint also charged Amy Leben with improperly accepting and commingling pool participant funds.
The Court’s Order requires the Lebens to pay restitution to victims in the amount of $2,551,596, disgorgement in the amount of $109,787, and a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $7,654,788. The Order further imposes permanent trading and registration bans and prohibits the Lebens from violating the anti-fraud and registration provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC Regulations, as charged.
The CFTC’s Complaint had alleged that between August 2008 and March 12, 2014, the Lebens, by and through the commodity pool Structured Finance Group Corporation (SFG), fraudulently solicited and accepted at least $3.2 million from at least 12 members of the general public to trade commodity futures contracts through a pool; that the Lebens traded only a portion of the pool participant funds in futures accounts in the name of Amy Leben, as well as in the name of the pool; and that they sustained net losses for the majority of the period. The Court’s Order finds that the Lebens misappropriated at least $2 million of the pool participant investor funds for their personal use, while representing to investors that the money would be used by SFG to purchase U.S. Treasury debt obligations and commodities. According to the Court Order, the Lebens used the misappropriated funds to purchase a house, vacations, a pool, an irrigation system, a car, cosmetic surgery, as well as to provide funds to family members and to pay everyday living expenses.
The CFTC cautions that Orders requiring repayment of funds to victims may not result in the recovery of any money lost because the wrongdoers may not have sufficient funds or assets. The CFTC will continue to fight vigorously for the protection of customers and to ensure the wrongdoers are held accountable.
Robert Leben Indicted on Criminal Charges, Ordered to Pay Restitution to Victims, and Sentenced to Prison
On December 16, 2014, Robert Leben was indicted on criminal charges arising from the same fraudulent conduct that was the subject of the CFTC’s action (see United States v. Robert S. Leben, No. 3:14-cr-858 (D.S.C.)). On October 8, 2015, Robert Leben pled guilty and on April 14, 2016, was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to victims of the fraud.
The CFTC appreciates the cooperation of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina in this matter.
The CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Amanda Burks, Michael Loconte, Erica Bodin, Elizabeth Davis, and Rick Glaser.
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CFTC’s Commodity Pool Fraud Advisory
The CFTC has issued several customer protection Fraud Advisories that provide the warning signs of fraud, including the Commodity Pool Fraud Advisory, which warns customers about a type of fraud that involves individuals and firms, often unregistered, offering investments in commodity pools.
Customers can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the CFTC Division of Enforcement via a Toll-Free Hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382) or file a tip or complaint online.
Tax Fraud IndictmentRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000
Greenville, South Carolina --- Myron Anvil McCall is charged in a twenty-seven count Indictment with making and presenting claims for false tax refunds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287.
Beth Drake, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, made the announcement after the Defendant was indicted.
The maximum penalty McCall could receive if convicted is five years imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing is determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
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Former Owner of Comfort Care Providers, LLC, Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jamie Lea Schoen (864) 282-2100
Greenville, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Takenya Gallman Rookard, a/k/a “Takenya Natori Gallman,” age 34, of Greenville, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina to Theft of Government Funds, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson 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.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Takenya Rookard lied to an Administrative Law Judge when seeking Social Security disability benefits. Ms. Rookard failed to disclose her work as a co-owner of Comfort Care Providers, LLC, both while seeking and later receiving benefits.
Acting United States Attorney Drake stated the maximum penalty for Theft of Government Funds is imprisonment for 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Social Security Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.
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Former Owner of American Waste, Inc. Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Illegal DumpingRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Jamie Lea Schoen (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Timothy Howard, age 51, of Greer, South Carolina was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina, for Violating Pretreatment Standards of the Clean Water Act, in violation of 33 U.S.C. § 1317 and 1319. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson sentenced Howard to 18 months imprisonment, a $10,000.00 fine, and 1 year of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that April 2, 2011, and June 18, 2013, Howard illegally dumped waste at unauthorized locations connected to the Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) and Town of Lyman Sewage Systems, respectively. Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing also established that during the course of the investigation, Howard made false statements to local law enforcement and submitted hauling log records to DHEC which omitted over 85% of his septage handling activities, thereby obstructing the investigation.
"Intentional acts by rogue septic haulers pose serious risks to the health of our community and environment. Those who operate within this industry must adhere to the regulations and laws for which they are permitted," said Andy Castro, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Atlanta, Georgia. “EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to the protection of public health and will continue to pursue those who blatantly undermine those efforts.” Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated, "The United States Attorney's Office prioritizes environmental cases in an effort to protect our citizens and natural resources and deter future wrongdoers. Environmental crimes have a serious cost for our society, especially in cases such as this where public facilities bear the brunt of the harm. I ask that you report any violations to the EPA at (800)241-1754 or http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violations."
The case was investigated by agents of the Environmental Protection Agency, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Lyman Police Department, and Duncan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Civil Rights Enters into Agreement with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to Ensure Civil Rights Protections for StudentsRead the Press Release
Contact: (202) 598-9457
WASHINGTON – The Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today entered into an agreement with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) to resolve a compliance review of its School Resource Officer (SRO) program. The agreement was reached in order for RCSD to promptly enact changes to ensure full compliance with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination against students based on race, color, national origin and disability.
The agreement requires RCSD to undertake a comprehensive assessment and overhaul of its SRO program, including:
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Developing policies to minimize school-based arrests and meet the needs of students with disabilities;
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Providing intensive, annual training for all SROs on de-escalation, bias-free policing, and youth development;
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Conducting detailed data collection and analysis; and
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Establishing a community working group to recommend program improvements.
The OJP Diagnostic Center, a technical assistance resource that uses data-driven approaches to help communities address criminal justice and public safety issues, will support RCSD in implementing the terms of the agreement.
“The Office for Civil Rights is committed to working with communities like Richland County to ensure that students’ civil rights are protected and school-based law enforcement responses are safe and fair,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason. “By working with our Diagnostic Center to examine their data and identify the appropriate evidence-based practices, we hope these communities can enhance the services school resource officers provide and strengthen their relationships with students and families.”
OCR is responsible for ensuring recipients of federal financial assistance from OJP and the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, such as RCSD, comply with applicable federal civil rights laws. Specifically, OCR’s SRO Compliance Review Initiative seeks to diminish the disproportionate impact school-based law enforcement actions have on students of color and students with disabilities by evaluating whether federally-funded SRO programs comply with these laws. OCR selected the RCSD SRO program for review in May 2015 based on several factors, including data collected by the Justice Department and other federal agencies on the county’s juvenile population and arrest rates, school-based arrests, and school-based referrals to law enforcement.
A link to the resolution agreement along with OCR’s resolution letter can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/about/ocr/pdfs/RCSD-SRO-ComplianceReview-08102016.pdf.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000
Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Greenville Man Indicated on Threatening to Bomb Social Security Administration Building
Ronnie Vaughn, age 69, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment. Ronnie Vaughn was charged with Willfully Making a Threat – Explosive Materials, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(e), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Protective Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office for prosecution.Georgia Man Indicated on Aggravated Identity Theft in Connection with the Use of Mail and the Filing of Federal Tax Returns
Cristobal Guevara Castelan, age 30, of Palmetto, Georgia was charged in a 4-count indictment. Cristobal Guevara Castelan was charged with Fraud in Connection with Identification Information, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000; Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A, which carries a 2-year term of imprisonment consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed and a maximum fine of $250,000; and 2 counts of Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer, of the Greenville office for prosecution.The Acting 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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Rock Hill Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Stacey Haynes (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Robert Da’Quan Johnson, a/k/a “Thunda,” age 20, of Rock Hill, South Carolina plead guilty today in federal court. Johnson plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented in court established that on the evening of September 7, 2015, an officer with the Rock Hill Police Department was on routine patrol when he observed two vehicles traveling down Mount Holly Road at a high rate of speed. The officer’s radar clocked the vehicles traveling 70 mph in a 50 mph zone. Upon activating his blue light and siren and stopping both vehicles, the officer found Johnson to be the driver and sole occupant of one vehicle and a female friend of Johnson’s was found to be the driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle. After asking Johnson to exit his vehicle, a Rohm .22 caliber firearm was found in Johnson’s pants pocket and a baggy of .22 caliber ammunition found in Johnson’s vehicle. Johnson was placed under arrest for state charges for carrying an unlawful weapon and speeding. The case was referred to federal authorities for prosecution as Johnson, who was on state parole at the time, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his 2014 state felony conviction for criminal conspiracy.
Johnson faces a statutory maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000 on the firearm/ammunition charge.
The case was investigated by the Rock Hill 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. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
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Heroin Trafficker Convicted at Trial, Faces Life in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Sean Kittrell (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Kenneth Kennedy Shannon, 51 years old, from Vance, South Carolina, who was a defendant charged in a conspiracy involving more than a kilogram of heroin, has been convicted after a trial in federal court in Charleston. Acting United States Attorney Drake noted that the indictment was the result of the work of the Charleston Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents and task force officers from local Charleston area agencies. She said that there is an effort underway to address heroin trafficking in the Charleston community. Ms. Drake advised that Assistant United States Attorney Sean Kittrell and Assistant United States Attorney Matt Austin of the Charleston office coordinated the investigation and prosecuted the case.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that the investigation began after a series of overdoses affected the Charleston community. Over time, Shannon was identified as a major source of supply effort. Assistant United States Matt Austin said that Shannon was intercepted on a wiretap and investigators learned that he was bringing a load of heroin down by train from New York on February 27, 2014. He got off the train in Kingstree, South Carolina, and went to his stash house in Vance, South Carolina. The next day, Shannon, essentially a wholesaler, drove to meet with one of his retail distributors. The DEA Task Force, working with the North Charleston Police Department, made a traffic stop on the in which he was riding Tahoe. Shannon, the passenger, was being driven by a close relative who had his 8 month old grandchild in a car seat in the back of the SUV. After the driver got out of the vehicle to speak with police, Shannon jumped over the console into the driver’s seat. He took off and led police on a high speed chase. That chase was called off as soon as police realized that there was a child in the car. While Shannon was fleeing from police, a citizen saw the driver of the Chevrolet Tahoe throw a baseball sized bag out of the window near Tony Way and flagged down an alert North Charleston police officer involved in the chase. Assistant United States Sean Kittrell said that although the bag was run over by another vehicle, the officer was able to recover approximately two (2) grams of heroin (or enough for about 67 bags or doses of heroin, according to Kittrell). Shannon also threw another package out on the ramp at Montague Avenue which was later recovered by DEA agents. The box held 500 bags containing, altogether, 9 grams of heroin (or enough for about 300 bags or doses of heroin, according to Kittrell). The bags were light blue. Testimony revealed that this was a marketing tool and that the blue heroin was regarded as a great product.
The task force learned where Shannon was and arrested him in the Tahoe later that same afternoon. It had residue powder on the driver’s side door. Agents concluded that the residue came from throwing the baseball sized bag of heroin out of the SUV. Because the baby was not in the car, the task force immediately began to attempt to ascertain the child’s location. Once they learned the baby was safe, agents executed a search warrant for Shannon’s stash house in Vance, South Carolina. Inside, agents recovered approximately 130 grams of heroin (enough for about 4,334 bags or doses of heroin, according to Kittrell), a Krupp’s coffee grinder with heroin residue along with two metal strainers, a digital scale, and a glass pestle (all used to chop up compressed blocks of heroin ); twelve small cardboard brown boxes, each holding about 600 unused individual "bindle" bags (all packaging for individual drug sales); a green grocery bag with many more "bindle" bags; two digital scales; a traffic citation issued to Kenneth Kennedy Shannon; and seven bars of Mannite "Cicogna" which is used as a cutting agent by heroin traffickers to increase the weight of drugs to create more product.
Testimony during the trial established that Shannon was the head of a distribution chain which distributed an excess of a kilogram of heroin from 2012 till his arrest on February 28, 2012. That is the equivalent of over 33,000 bags or doses of heroin, with a street value of well over $600,000.00 according to Kittrell. Under federal sentencing laws, he faces a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Kittrell said that there was an unusually dramatic moment during the trial, when Shannon jumped up and started screaming at the court and the jury. He had to be subdued by deputy United States Marshals and removed from the courtroom.
Chief Greg Mullen of the City of Charleston Police Department said that the partnership between the federal agencies and local police, which led to the conviction, is truly effective. “This trial is an example of how law enforcement teamwork can effectively combat the sources of supply of heroin which have been plaguing our community. Here, the City of Charleston Police Department, the North Charleston Police Department, the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, all of us, worked closely together to identify, investigate and prosecute a major heroin dealer. Heroin is on the rise, and it needs to come off of the street. It is reaching all aspects of community, in all our neighborhoods. Only by working together with strong inter-agency partnerships will we be able to fight this. Shannon faces a life sentence, and sentences like that greatly impact dealers who decide whether to stay in business."
Jason Sandoval, Resident Agent in Charge of the local DEA office commented, “The Charleston community is not immune to the heroin problem devastating communities across the country. Shannon's secretive, insular, and evasive methods enabled him to remain a significant heroin source of supply for far too long. The guilty verdict against Shannon on all counts sent a clear message that enough is enough. The successful conclusion of this investigation was made possible by the unyielding efforts of a law enforcement coalition of local agencies, DEA, and the US Attorney’s Office dedicated to protecting our community. This success speaks to the effectiveness we can realize when we work together as a coalition of concerned citizens, police, and prosecutors. The DEA task force is dedicated to being a full partner of local and federal agencies, citizen advocacy groups, and all others who wish to stem the scourge of heroin in our community.”
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nancy Wicker (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ----- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury, returned Indictments against the following:
Seven People Charged in $350 Million Government Construction Fraud Scheme
Thomas Brock, age 49 of Camden, Jerry Eddins, age 66 of Aspermont, Texas, Harry Michael White, age 65 of Columbia, Cory J. Adams, age 43 of Columbia, Tory Brock, age 51 of Camden, Alfonza McCutchen Jr., age 39 of Irmo and Allison Amanda Sauls, 46, of New York, New York were charged in an eighteen count Indictment with various frauds related to the award of nearly $350 million dollars’ worth of federal government construction contracts. According to an Indictment filed in federal court, the scheme took advantage of construction contracts administered through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration. These construction contracts were earmarked to be given to minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and disabled person-owned construction companies. However, the Indictment alleges that the defendants hid the fact that construction companies were not controlled by minorities, veterans, women or the disabled in order to receive the lucrative contracts.
Thomas Brock, Jerry Eddins, Harry Michael White, Cory Adams, Tory Brock and Alfonza McCutchen were charged with conspiracy to defraud the government in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 371. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment for 5 years. Thomas Brock, Jerry Eddins, Harry Michael White and Amanda Sauls were also charged with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1343. The maximum penalty the defendants could receive for wire fraud is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Two companies, Automatic Cash L.L.C. and EEC L.L.C. were also charged with major fraud against the United States in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1031. The maximum penalty the companies could receive for that charge is a fine of $10,000,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General (OIG), United States Department of Agriculture-OIG, Department of Energy-OIG, United States Army Criminal Investigation Division, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Contract Audit Agency, and Veterans Affairs OIG and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office for prosecution.
The Acting 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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Employee Guilty of Wire Fraud Causing His Employer A Loss of over $565,000.00Read the Press Release
Contact Person: David Stephens (864) 282-2100
Greenville, South Carolina ----Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that on July 20, 2016, Mark Nigel Wilkins, age 49, formerly of Lexington, South Carolina entered a plea of guilty in Federal Court in Greenville, South Carolina before the Honorable Bruce H. Hendricks. Mr. Wilkins pled guilty to Wire Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. He faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens, who is in charge the prosecution, advised Judge Hendricks of the following facts during the guilty plea hearing. Mr. Wilkins was employed by Michelin North America as a Technical Service Manager. Part of his duties was the purchase of millions of dollars’ worth of items for Michelin’s use each year. Mr. Wilkins paid for these items using a company issued credit card or with his own funds for which he was reimbursed. Beginning in January, 2009 Mr. Wilkins began using the company issued credit card for non-authorized items which he converted to his own use. Additionally, Mr. Wilkins turned in false expense account vouchers claiming that he had made company purchases, which he had not, and received monetary reimbursements for such vouchers. This pattern of theft continued until December, 2014.
Mr. Wilkins will be sentenced at a later date after completion of a Presentence Investigative report.
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Mail Thief and Counterfeiter Sentenced to 57 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Tracy Lynn Albertson, age 43, of Piedmont, was sentenced today in federal court in Anderson, for conspiracy to commit fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson sentenced Albertson to 57 months imprisonment and ordered her to pay over $11,000 in restitution.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Albertson and others regularly stole mail from residential boxes, sorted the stolen mail for checks and personal identifying information, created altered or counterfeit checks, and then negotiated the checks throughout the upstate. Most of the fraud was conducted in an effort to obtain funds to purchase methamphetamine. Albertson was captured on multiple bank surveillance cameras when she negotiated the checks.
The case was investigated by agents of United States Postal Inspection Service and the Easley Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
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Local Business Charged with Dispensing Misbranded DrugsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100, Jennifer Aldrich (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina -----Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Neurology Associates of Greenville, South Carolina was charged in a 1-count Information with dispensing misbranded drugs, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 331(c). Neurology Associates faces a maximum fine of $1,000 and a special assessment of $25. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Food and Drug Administration of the Health and Human Services and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr. of the Greenville office for prosecution.
The United States also settled with Neurology Associates of Greenville claims under the civil False Claim Act for $300,000. The False Claim Act allows the government to recover actual damages and penalties of three times the actual damages and up to $11,000 per false claim. This settlement includes repayment of actual damages and penalties.
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Liberian Ship Management Company, Corporate Vessel Owner, and Three Engineering Officers Indicted for Environmental Crimes and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007
Note: The indictment is attached as a pdf file.
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned an indictment today charging Aegean Shipping Management S.A. and Aegeansun Gamma Inc. with obstruction of an agency proceeding, conspiracy and failing to keep accurate pollution control records, the Justice Department announced. Three engineering officers were charged with related offenses.
The charges stem from the 2015 falsification of records and obstruction designed to cover up overboard discharges of oily mixtures and machinery space bilge water from the Liberian-flagged chemical tanker, T/V Green Sky. The vessel’s management company, Aegean Shipping Management of Liberia and the vessel’s owner, Aegeansun Gamma of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, are charged with failing to maintain an accurate oil record book as required by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), a U.S. law which implements the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, commonly known as “MARPOL.” The companies were also charged with falsification of records, obstruction and conspiracy.
The individuals, Panagiotis Koutoukakis and Herbert Julian, both former Chief Engineers of the T/V Green Sky and Nikolaos Bounovas, the former Second Engineer onboard the vessel, were charged with aiding and abetting the failure to maintain an accurate oil record book, falsification of federal records and conspiracy. Julian is facing an additional obstruction charge.
The investigation into illegal activity onboard the vessel began in late August 2015 when the vessel arrived in the Port of North Charleston, South Carolina and members of the engine room staff told the U.S. Coast Guard that they had been ordered to bypass the ship’s oil water separator on multiple occasions. In a related case, on Feb. 18, the former captain of the T/V Green Sky, Genaro Anciano, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction for knowingly making false and misleading oral and written statements in an effort to impede the Coast Guard’s investigation of the bypass allegations.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in Charleston on July 26. An indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by agents of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher Hale of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Austin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
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Charleston Felon in Possession Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Emily Limehouse (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Junnie Lavon Williams, age 29, of Charleston, South Carolina was sentenced in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), facing a sentence of up to ten years in prison. Williams was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in 2004 and burglary in 2011, making him a prohibited person under the law. United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Williams to seven years in prison. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by three years of supervised release. Williams pled guilty on January 15, 2016. Facts incorporated into the record at sentencing established that on January 31, 2015, a City of Charleston Police Department officer approached Williams because he fit the description of a person reportedly smoking marijuana on the sidewalk of North Market Street. Williams fled as the officer approached. Williams fell entering a construction site and attempted to discard an object from his front waist band. The officer detained Williams and discovered a black Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition within arm's reach of Williams. Williams was also carrying a second loaded magazine in his pocket. The pistol's serial number had been filed off and black marker covered the scratch marks. Officers conducted an NCIC query and determined that Williams was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing a firearm. The conviction was a result of an investigation conducted by the City of Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Beaufort Man Gets More than Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Twelve Stolen GunsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Emily Limehouse (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Malcolm Anthony Moore, age 23, of Beaufort, South Carolina was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina for Possession of Stolen Firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j). United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston sentenced Moore to 63 months. Moore pled guilty on February 18, 2016. Facts incorporated into the record at the sentencing established that on three different occasions, search warrants were executed on Moore's residence, and officers seized numerous firearms. Moore admitted that he planned to traffic the firearms. In total, 31 firearms were involved, twelve of which were stolen. The conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced on Wire Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact Person: John Potterfield
Florence, South Carolina---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Shayne Harrison Smith, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment in federal court. In July of 2015, Smith pled guilty to Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. After Smith completes the term of imprisonment, he will be on federal supervised release for 5 years. Smith was also ordered to pay $2,213,307.99 in restitution to the victims in his case. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, imposed the sentence.
Information presented at an earlier hearing established that Mr. Smith was involved in a "mortgage rescue scheme." He convinced distressed home owners that he could negotiate better terms of repayment with their lenders. Mr. Smith required the victims to pay him fees which he used for his own benefit. He encouraged some of the home owners to cease communicating with their lenders and stop making payments to the lenders, because he would take care of everything. Mr. Smith never successfully renegotiated any of the mortgages.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney John C. Potterfield of the Columbia United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Laurens Resident Indicted on Embezzling VA Funds
Alison Moore, age 55, of Laurens, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment. Alison Moore was charged with Embezzlement, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. The maximum penalty Moore could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.Spartanburg Resident Indicted on Embezzling VA Funds
Pearline Sims, a/k/a “Pauline Sims”, age 62, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment. Pearline Sims was charged with Embezzlement, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. The maximum penalty Sims could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.Husband and Wife Indicted on Conspiring to Steal Mail
Cary L. Wright, age 37, and Tanya A. Wright, age 28, both of Greenville, South Carolina, were charged in a 1-count indictment. Both defendants were charged with Conspiracy, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The maximum penalty both defendants could receive is 5 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Williams J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.Welch Group Environmental and its Owner Indicted on Storing Hazardous Waste and Releasing Hazardous Air Pollutants
Glenn Welch, age 52, of Belton, South Carolina, and Welch Group Environmental, of Belton, South Carolina, were charged in a 5-count indictment. Both defendants were charged with Storage and Disposal of Hazardous Waste without a permit, a violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 6928(d)(2)(A) which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $50,000, and Release of Hazardous Air Pollutants, a violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 7413(c)(5)(A), which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 for Glenn Welch and a maximum fine of $500,000 for Welch Group Environmental. The case was investigated by agents of the Environmental Protection Agency and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.Four Men Indicted for Drug Violations
Jose Huber Bustamante, age 34, Jaime Roman Bustamante, age 33, Jorge Texco-Dorantes, age 32, and Samuel Olivares, age 22, were charged in a two count indictment. The indictment alleges that these four men, beginning at least in 2016, conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine in South Carolina and elsewhere. It also alleges that they possessed with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on June 15, 2016, in South Carolina and did aid and abet each other in the commission of the offense. If convicted on the charges in the indictment, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment. This case was investigated by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Andy Moorman of the Greenville office for prosecution.The Acting 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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"Real-Time" Defendant, Melvin Boswell, Jr., Subject to Mandatory 25 Year Sentence After Pleading Guilty to Federal Drug Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Andy Moorman (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Melvin Boswell, Jr., age 48, of Greenville, South Carolina, pled guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Boswell’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, but his guilty plea subjects him to a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years imprisonment.
On August 20, 2015, Greenville Police Department Officers arrested Boswell at a business in Greenville County after Boswell had cut his ankle monitor while on bond for other charges. While searching Boswell’s person and a rental car Boswell had driven to the business, police found: (1) 10 firearms (one of which was stolen); (2) numerous pieces of ammunition; (3) in excess of $70,000 worth of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin; (4) digital scales; and (5) in excess of $7000 in U.S. Currency. At the time Boswell possessed these items, he was a convicted felon.
Boswell was arrested during the initiation of “Operation Real-Time,” a partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Greenville Police Department to transfer career criminals who possess firearms to federal court for immediate prosecution.
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration working in conjunction with the Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Moorman and Lance Crick of the Greenville office handled the case.#####
Spartanburg Men Sentenced in Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ----- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Brandon L. Littlejohn, age 27, John A. Gossett, III, age 23, Dylan L. Patterson, age 20, D’Shawn C. Pitts, age 20, and Michael Riddle, age 20, all of Spartanburg, were sentenced today in federal court in Greenville, for involvement in a conspiracy to traffic in minor females for the purposes of prostitution in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c). United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Greenville, sentenced Littlejohn to 121 months, Gossett to 87 months, Patterson to 77 months, and Pitts and Riddle to 60 months.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the defendants recruited minor victims (ages 16-17) and young women to work for them. They then instructed and supervised the minor victims and young women on how to solicit and charge for commercial sex acts. One some occasions the women were hit or threatened with violence to persuade them to continue to work for the conspiracy.
The conspiracy operated in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Virginia, and other cities in the Southeastern states. In these locations, the Defendants obtained hotel rooms for the women to work from. Defendants placed advertisements, or assisted in the placing of advertisements, on the internet using backpage.com to advertise the young women for commercial sex acts.
Once a John answered the ad and arranged to meet the minor females or young women at the hotel, Defendants would wait in an adjoining hotel room until the John arrived, paid the money, and completed the sex act with the minor female or young girl. Once the John left the room, Defendants would enter and retrieve the money.
“Human traffickers strip victims of their humanity; treating them as little more than pieces of meat to generate cash,” said Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta. “The depravity of the subjects in this particular case reaches its lowest form by forcing underage girls into this dark underworld of abuse and victimization; the public should breathe a sigh of relief that these dangerous criminals are now safely behind bars.”
If you have information on human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-3737-888. The NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline.
The case was investigated by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office for prosecution.
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Member of Sumter Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy Receiver over 96 Years in Prison in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Contact Person: JD Rowell (803) 929-3000
Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake advised today that 6 members of a large scale cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking conspiracy received significant sentences yesterday in Federal Court. On July 7, 2016, Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten held hearings throughout the day to impose sentences for the conspirators who had previously entered guilty pleas admitting to conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. The following defendants received the following sentences:
- Patar ONeal Montgomery (Age 38 of Dazell, South Carolina): 156 months with 5 years of supervised release to follow;
- Donald Antwon Dingle (Age 24 of Sumter, South Carolina): 115 months with 4 years of supervised release to follow;
- Andre Lewayne Brooks (Age 29 of Horatio, South Carolina) 78 months with 6 years of supervised release to follow;
- Corey Emanuel White (Age 29 of Sumter, South Carolina) 262 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow;
- Michael Antonio Floyd (Age 42 of Bishopville, South Carolina) 276 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow; and
- Jimmy Tony McDowell (Age 40 of Sumter, South Carolina) 276 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow.
Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that the above defendants were held accountable for the distribution of over 65 kilograms of powder cocaine and over 650 grams of crack cocaine during the course of the conspiracy which lasted from around April of 2012 until July of 2015. Each of the above defendants who received sentences of 21 years or higher were classified as “career offenders,” meaning that each had previously been convicted of 2 or more felony drug convictions in state and/or federal Court.
Evidence at the hearings established that this investigation began over a year ago when FBI, DEA and City of Sumter Task Force Officers identified the above named defendants who were supplying large numbers of violent street level cocaine and crack cocaine dealers in Sumter. Agents and Task Force Officers previously conducted arrest operations on June 16, 2015, and October 20, 2015. As of the date of yesterday’s sentencings, this investigation has resulted in the seizure of over 9 kilograms of powder cocaine, the seizure of almost $900,000.00, the seizure of 8 firearms that were used in furtherance of drug trafficking, and convictions/guilty pleas of 8 other defendants who will be sentenced at a later time by Chief Judge Wooten. Agents have learned that the conspiracy as a whole was directly responsible for the distribution of well over 150 kilograms (wholesale value of $6,000,000.00) of cocaine in Sumter and Richland Counties during the time frame of the conspiracy.
This case is yet another example of the fine work being done by Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies working together through the Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) in South Carolina.
The CVGTF is consists of the following agencies:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, SAC David A. Thomas
- Sumter Police Department, Chief Russell Roark
- South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Chief Mark Keel
- Columbia Police Department, Chief Skip Holbrook
- Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Leon Lott
- South Carolina Army National Guard Counterdrug Unit, LTC Walter Ginn
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Drayer Physical Therapy Institute, LLC Settle False Claims Act Case for $7,000,000Read the Press Release
Contact Person: Jenny Aldrich (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina has settled claims of health care fraud with Drayer Physical Therapy Institute, LLC (“Drayer”). Drayer has locations in South Carolina and 14 other states from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma. The United States contended that Drayer submitted claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and Federal Employee Health Benefit Programs for services being provided to multiple patients simultaneously as though the services were being provided by a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant to one patient at a time.
The investigation began with the filing of a whistleblower lawsuit called a qui tams lawsuit under the False Claims Act. The suit was filed by former employees of Drayer. The False Claim Act allows the government to recover actual damages and penalties of three times the actual damages and up to $11,000 per false claim. This settlement was reached based on Drayer’s ability to pay.
The False Claims Act allows individuals to file lawsuits with allegations that fraud has been committed against the federal government on behalf of the government. Whistleblowers, referred to as Relators in the False Claims Act, are entitled to share in any recovery received by the government. In this case, the two relators collectively will receive 24% of the funds of the settlement or $1,680,000 plus they are entitled to attorney fees. The relators performed significant work in the investigation of this case.
Ms. Drake said, “Whistle blower cases are important to the integrity of the health care system. These civil actions - targeted to routing out fraud and abuse - protect tax payers and patients by ensuring that health care decisions are made according to medical science and not based on dollar signs.”
"Health care companies must bill taxpayer-funded health programs honestly," said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "Those engaging in deceptive billing practices can expect our aggressive investigation to recover inappropriately obtained funds."
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud please report it by phone at 1-800-447-8477 (1-800-HHS-TIPS), or E-Mail at [email protected].
Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Murder for Hire PlotRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nathan Williams (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Lawrence Edward Lee, age 64, of Charleston, SC, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the Use of Interstate Commerce Facilities to Commit Murder for Hire. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lee pled guilty on January 26, 2016. Facts at the plea hearing established that Lee approached an acquaintance about having Lee’s ex-wife killed. That individual went to the FBI, who then conducted undercover recordings of Lee and his efforts to have his ex-wife killed, including payment to the acquaintance of $5,000.00 for the murder.
Lee was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Richard M. Gergel. The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Man Convicted for Jewelry Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Nathan Williams (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Charles Eloys Johnson, 35, of San Leandro, California, was convicted following a four day jury trial in United States District Court in Charleston. The Honorable Richard M. Gergel presided over the case.
Testimony developed during trial showed that Johnson and others travelled from Atlanta to rob Sylvan Jewelers in Columbia, SC, on February 19, 2015, and MP Demetre Jewelers in Charleston, SC, on March 4, 2015. Johnson was convicted of five separate counts, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce, two counts of Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce, and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Violent Crime. The conspiracy and robbery counts each carry up to twenty years imprisonment under 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) and the gun charges carry a mandatory consecutive five years plus twenty-five years imprisonment under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Two other defendants are still awaiting trial.
The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, City of Charleston Police Department and Columbia Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake and Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Mr. Nettles stated that the charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. #####
Hanahan Man Indicted for Possession of Child Pornography
United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced today an indictment charging Jonathan Hayhoe, age 26, of Hanahan, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A. The maximum penalty that Hayhoe could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the FBI and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.
North Charleston Man Indicted for Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography
United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced today an indictment charging Roman Bennett, age 46, of North Charleston, South Carolina, was charged in a 3-count Indictment with Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A. The maximum penalty that Bennett could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
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United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Greenville Resident Indicted for Theft of Government Funds
Stephanie Lake Meyer, age 46, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count indictment. Meyer was charged with Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000; and with Obstruction of the Administration of the Internal Revenue Laws, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7212(a), which carries a maximum penalty of 3 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $5,000. The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens 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.Upstate Defendant Sentenced for Lying to FBI During InvestigationRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Max Cauthen (864) 282-2100
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that William Tore Tint, age 42, of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina by the Honorable Timothy Cain to three (3) years probation. In September 2015, Tint pled guilty to making false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during an investigation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on or about April 13, 2015, Tint, did knowingly and willfully make a false, fraudulent, and fictitious material statement to FBI agents during their investigation of a possible plot to commit acts of violence in in New York State.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office handled the prosecution of the case.
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Three People Arrested in FBI OperationRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina -------- Sherif Abdelwahab Alkassar, age 36, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Lesley Amanda Alkassar, age 38, of Blacksburg, South Carolina, and Katie Leighanne Polson, age 29, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; were arrested June 9, 2016,on charges of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT card) fraud, a violation of Title 7 United States Code, Section 2024.
Sherif Abdelwahab Alkassar, was also charged with Mail Fraud, a violation of Title 18 USC 1341, and making False Statements relating to Naturalization/Citizenship, a violation of Title 18 USC 1015.
William Nettles, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, made the announcement after the Defendants’ initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West, Florence, South Carolina.
Each faces a maximum possible penalty of not more than twenty years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Each Defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE),and the United State Department of Agriculture USDA (USDA). The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
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Notice of Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina -- United States Attorney Bill Nettles and Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone will hold a press conference Friday, June 10, 2016 at the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office to provide a 6-month update on the partnership between the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
WHEN: Friday, June 10, 2016 TIME: 5:00 PM WHERE:Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office
39 Sheridan Park Circle, Ste. 2
Bluffton, SC 29910NOTE: Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Beth Drake, 803-929-3061. All media must present government-issued photo id (such as a driver’s license). All media should be in place 20 minutes prior to start. Parking will be available behind the building.
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Three Orangeburg Men Sentenced for Killing Hawks at South Carolina Hunting PreserveRead the Press Release
Contact Person: Eric Klumb (843) 727-4381
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney William N. Nettles stated today that three Orangeburg men, Charles Williams, age 66, John Dantzler, age 66, and Jimmie Aiken, age 57, and Alejandro Renteria Noyola, age 56, were sentenced today by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges, sitting in Charleston, South Carolina. The defendants entered guilty pleas to offenses involving the unlawful trapping and killing of migratory birds at Willcreek, a 1,790-acre tract of land in Orangeburg County owned by Willcreek LLC. Charles Williams, the registered agent for Willcreek LLC, pled guilty to 7 counts of killing Red-tailed or Cooper’s Hawks during 2013 and 2014; the remaining defendants were each named in a single count. Trapping and killing hawks without a permit is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act under Title 16, United States Code, Section 703, and carried a maximum prison term of six months and a fine of up to $15,000, or both, for each count of conviction.
Judge Hodges fined Williams $75,000, imposed 50 hours of community service at a birds-of-prey center, and banned him from hunting for a year. Aiken and Dantzler were each fined $1,000 and were also banned from hunting for a year.
Luis Santiago, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said of today’s plea and sentencing: “This case is an excellent example of the cooperative investigative efforts between the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and each agency’s strong commitment to investigate violations of wildlife laws. Migratory birds are a trust responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We greatly appreciate our state and local partners in law enforcement, and the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office in prosecuting those who violate federal wildlife laws and holding them accountable for their actions. The plea and sentencing today is a success in our collective efforts to conserve migratory birds and other wildlife.”
Mr. Nettles stated, “The statute and the indictment in this case recognize that these majestic birds-of-prey are an important link in our ecosystem. Killing these hawks in order to improve sporting conditions for weekend hunters is not only unsportsman-like, it is illegal and comes at the cost of our wildlife resources. The Court’s imposition of a substantial fine is in line with the seriousness of the offense and defendants’ cruel treatment of the birds-of-prey they killed.”
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The investigation began in November of 2013 based on a tip from the DNR Operation Game Thief Hotline and culminated with the execution of a search warrant at Willcreek on February 21, 2014. During the course of the investigation, agents seized more than thirty raptor carcasses from Willcreek.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric Klumb of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.#####