District of South Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
SCDC Inmate Among 5 Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Meth, FentanylRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a four-count indictment against Jawan Rayel White, 37; Derrell Sherald, 38; Amon Rasheem Rutledge, 34; Alexis Nicole Loscar, 30; and Christian Vargas, 21, for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that White, while incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections on a 25-year sentence for drug distribution, conspired with his co-defendants to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl into South Carolina and surrounding states.
White faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently incarcerated in SCDC on an unrelated state conviction. Rutledge faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and is currently detained pending an initial appearance and detention hearing before the Honorable Kaymani D. West, United States Magistrate Judge. Sherald, Loscar, and Vargas each face penalties of 20 years in prison and are currently detained pending an initial appearance and detention hearing before the United States District Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Ellis is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two South Carolina Women Convicted of Human Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, of Clinton, and Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, of Columbia, have pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in federal court in Columbia.
According to evidence presented in court, from at least December 2022 through August 2023, Gary and Perry worked together with co-defendants Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts to exploit three minors in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors.
Nicholson and Perry recruited one minor victim when they encountered her at a hotel as a runaway. They drove her across state lines, told her that she was going to work in commercial sex, bought her lingerie, took photos of her, advertised her for commercial sex on the internet, and arranged for customers to exploit her at hotels in the Columbia area and elsewhere in the state. Nicholson set prices, collected proceeds, decided which minor victims would receive some portion of the proceeds, and how much they would receive. Gary chatted with customers as if she was a minor victim, transported a minor to another city to be exploited, collected proceeds, and turned them over to Nicholson, and intervened with customers when problems arose, all while the minor was multiple states away from her family. Perry helped in a similar way.
Two additional minor victims were recruited near a high school, and they were exploited on days they were not in school. Members of the conspiracy used the internet to advertise the minors, communicate with customers, arrange encounters, and collect proceeds.
The conspiracy exercised high levels of control over the operation, one minor victim was subjected to physical assault, and several of the members of the conspiracy carried firearms and distributed drugs around the minor victims.
Gary and Perry face a penalty of up to life in prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Gary and Perry agreed to pay restitution to the victims.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gary and Perry after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The indictment remains pending against Nicholson and Counts. Charges in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, West Columbia Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Jefferson County (Alabama) Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tyrek Jacquez Carroway, 25, of Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Evidence presented to the court showed that undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made 12 controlled purchases of narcotics from Carroway from November 2022 to May 2023. Carroway was trafficking narcotics from Texas and Georgia into South Carolina through hidden compartments in his vehicle. He was held responsible for possession with intent to distribute or distribution of varying quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and crack cocaine. Additionally, on 10 of these 12 controlled purchases, Carroway possessed or sold firearms while engaged in drug trafficking crimes.
United States District Judge Sherri Lydon sentenced Carroway to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Anthony Cobbs, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Sept.21, 2022, Charleston Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop on a sedan for an expired temporary tag. A female was driving and Anthony Cobbs, the defendant, was the front passenger. During the stop, an officer observed Cobbs attempt to conceal a black handgun from his waistband. After Cobbs was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody, officers recovered the firearm and ammunition under the front passenger seat where Cobbs was seated.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Cobbs to 78 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Holmes is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Sergio Magallan-Tinoco, a/k/a “John Migo,” 45, of Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in the Fall of 2023, law enforcement in the Upstate conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Magallan-Tinoco. Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant for Magallan-Tinoco’s residence, locating additional fentanyl and cocaine, along with a money counter, scales, and a loaded .380 caliber handgun. Magallan-Tinoco was found to be responsible for trafficking 20 kilograms of cocaine. Magallan-Tinoco has a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Magallan Tinoco to 180 months imprisonment to be followed by a five year term of supervised release. A $400,000 forfeiture judgment was also issued against him. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Police Find Gun and Drugs While Serving Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Shiloh Wright, 42, of Columbia, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Sept. 1, 2022, officers with the City of Columbia Police Department went to a local truck stop to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant. The officers found Wright driving a vehicle and took him into custody. Officers searched Wright in preparation to take him to the detention center and found plastic baggies containing crack cocaine and cocaine in his underwear. Officers also searched Wright’s vehicle and found a digital scale, a black bookbag containing a loaded firearm, fentanyl pills, marijuana, and a debit card belonging to Wright.
Wright has previous convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, distribution of crack cocaine, resisting arrest, domestic violence, and assault and battery.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Wright to 84 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Weapon and Drug ViolationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Antwon Rashad Brown, 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Brown engaged in a multiple year conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Between May 2021 and July 2022, Brown was arrested four times and charged with multiple narcotics and firearms violations.
On July 22, 2021, law enforcement searched Brown’s residence and located more than 1.5 kilograms of marijuana, extended firearm magazines, ammunition, digital scales, a money counter, more than $1,000 in cash, a loaded AR-15 style pistol, and a loaded 9mm pistol throughout the residence and his bedroom.
Brown had multiple felony convictions preventing him from legally possessing a firearm and ammunition, including multiple violent acts involving firearms.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Brown to 1o years imprisonment followed by four years of court-ordered supervision.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.
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5 Men from Grand Strand and Pee Dee Region Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Related Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Five men from across the Pee Dee and Grand Strand were sentenced to multi-year terms in federal prison after pleading guilty to a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in and around Horry County and related firearms crimes.
- Joshua Rodriguez, 33, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl;
- Derrick Adrien Hooks, Jr., 27, of Chesterfield, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl;
- Christopher Brown, 32, of Pawleys Island, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl;
- Jonathan Thien Ta, 32, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; Ta’s federal sentence will run consecutive to a state sentence he is serving on separate firearms-related conduct; and
- Neil Alexander Torres, 32, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition.
Rodriguez and Brown’s terms of imprisonment will be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Hook’s term of imprisonment will be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. Ta and Torres’s terms of imprisonment will be followed by three-year terms of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
As to Ta and Torres, evidence presented to the court showed that on Nov. 26, 2020, officers with Myrtle Beach Police Department arrived at a restaurant in Myrtle Beach with a warrant to arrest Ta. Officers tried to take Ta into custody, but Ta disobeyed law enforcement commands, reaching into his waistband and pulling out a loaded 9mm handgun, which he passed to Torres before Ta attempted to flee on foot. At the time of the incident, both Ta and Torres were convicted felons who could not legally possess either the firearm or the ammunition with which it was loaded.
Additional evidence presented to the court showed that from 2018 to 2023, Rodriguez, Hooks, and Brown were involved in trafficking pressed pills containing fentanyl in and around Horry County. Fentanyl is potentially lethal in very small doses.
Rodriguez, who was a high-level distributor, was accountable for distributing some 14 kilograms of fentanyl over the course of the conspiracy. He frequently possessed firearms in connection with his drug trafficking and threatened to use violence against others.
On July 1, 2021, law enforcement in Horry County attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car driven and solely occupied by Hooks. Hooks fled from officers and threw pills and suspected marijuana out of the car during the ensuing chase. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for the home in Little River Hooks had come from just prior to the traffic stop. In Hooks’ room at the house, law enforcement found approximately 3.5 kilogram of pills, multiple kilograms of suspected marijuana, a 5.56 caliber firearm, assorted magazines, and ammunition and more than $10,000 in cash. Further investigation revealed that over the course of his involvement in the conspiracy, Hooks was accountable for trafficking 1.6 kilograms of fentanyl.
Investigation showed Brown was involved as a lower-level distributor within the conspiracy. In approximately five years, Brown was accountable for trafficking 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl. Like Hooks, Brown had a history of fleeing from law enforcement. In 2023, Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Brown in Pawleys Island. Brown fled, reaching speeds of 91 miles per hour while trying to evade law enforcement.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III, sentenced all five men.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, and the 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn is prosecuting the case.
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Newberry County Man Charged in Fatal Shooting of SLED K9 Indicted for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment against James Robert Peterson, 37, of Prosperity, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on June 11, Peterson was found in possession of firearm during an incident where he allegedly shot and killed South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) K9 Agent Coba while law enforcement was attempting to arrest him. Peterson has been charged in state court for a number of other charges related to the incident. Peterson has a previous felony conviction that prevents him from possessing a firearm.
Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and is currently detained awaiting trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Newberry County Sheriff's Office, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Former Palmetto Railways CEO Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Jeffrey McWhorter, 63, of Awendaw, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, which was committed during his time as President and CEO of Palmetto Railways.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that McWhorter introduced a known co- conspirator, referred to as T.B., to a company headquartered in Texas. T.B. hoped that McWhorter’s introduction would facilitate him being awarded a contract for work in the Charleston area by the Texas company.
Prior to the contract being awarded to the Texas Company, McWhorter, TB, and an employee of the Texas company (Employee 1), had meetings and discussions about T.B. paying McWhorter and Employee 1 if his company was awarded the contract.
McWhorter and his known coconspirators further agreed that T.B. would send money to a to Employee 1, and evidence revealed that TB did in fact wire the money to a bank account was in Employee 1’s wife’s business name. The agreement was that Employee 1 would then pay McWhorter his portion in cash.
Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the evidence revealed that the payment McWhorter and Employee 1 were receiving caused, or could have caused, economic harm to the Texas company.
T.B. ultimately wired at least $400,000 to Employee 1 in Texas and McWhorter received at least $90,000 of this in cash.
McWhorter faces a maximum penalty of five in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge David C. Norton accepted the guilty plea and will sentence McWhorter after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Dillon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Kenyatta Defondrael McLaughlin, 45, of Dillon, was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that, on the evening of Sept.16, 2022, an officer with Dillon Police Department made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven and solely occupied by McLaughlin. As McLaughlin exited the car, a loaded 9mm handgun fell from his lap. As the officer approached the car, he saw what appeared to be a marijuana joint in plain view in the car center console. Law enforcement searched the vehicle, finding approximately 25 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of crack cocaine, and 219 grams of suspected marijuana. At the time of the traffic stop, McLaughlin was a convicted felon who could not legally possess either the firearm or the ammunition with which it was loaded.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III, sentenced McLaughlin to 35 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dillon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn is prosecuting the case.
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Woman Picking up Package of Meth as Part of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Stacey Bentley, 53, of Blacksburg, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Bentley was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy when she was caught attempting to pick up a package of three kilograms of methamphetamine from a U.S. Post Office in April of 2023.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Stacey Bentley to 40 months imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. The court also ordered $400,000 in forfeiture against Bentley.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
Sumter Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Donald Ray Hurst, Jr., 35, of Sumter, has pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Aug. 11, 2023, Duke Energy called law enforcement to respond to a power outage near Fish Road in Dalzell. FBI agents and deputies with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrived and saw that the regulator bank, which helps distribute power to the local community and businesses, had multiple holes in it that appeared to be from bullets. The damage resulted in a power outage to several thousand customers. The cost of the clean-up and replacement of the regulators was over $100,000.
Investigators spoke to witnesses who stated they heard gunshots near the regulators on Aug. 9. After speaking with witnesses, agents installed a pole camera at that location. Two days later, they returned and found that the regulators had been shot again. They also recovered a 9mm shell casing at the scene.
A review of the pole camera footage revealed that a white van arrived near the regulators. The van stopped and gunshots were seen being fired toward the energy facility. Agents located the owner of the van, with the help of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and interviewed the owner who was in possession of the vehicle. The owner stated that Hurst and another individual possessed the van during the time of the shooting. Agents searched the van and found a spent 9mm shell casing.
Agents later executed a search warrant on Hurst’s residence and recovered a firearm in his room and a 9mm handgun in a safe in another room of the house. Forensic analysis determined that the shell casing found at the scene of the shooting on Aug. 14 and the shell casing recovered from the van were fired from the 9mm handgun. Hurst’s fingerprint was also found on the trigger of the 9mm handgun, and the key to the safe containing the firearm was located with Hurst’s car keys.
While incarcerated, Hurst was heard on a recorded jail phone call informing someone about a hard drive in his room that needed to be recovered because it “could get someone in trouble.” In a subsequent recorded phone call, Hurst admitted to shooting the regulator bank. He also stated that the hard drive found at his home contained images of child sexual abuse material that he acquired from the dark web.
Agents retrieved the hard drive from the home. A search warrant on the hard drive revealed several images that were confirmed to be CSAM by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Hurst faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a lifetime of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment for each charge. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Hurst after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Michael Shedd are prosecuting the case.
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Lancaster Drug Traffickers Sentenced to a Total of 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tyre Amahdikeem Brooks, 23; John Matthew Railey, 36; and Ricky Shane Underwood, 43, all of Lancaster, were sentenced to a total of 27 years federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Evidence presented to the court showed the three men conspired together in the Lancaster area to distribute methamphetamine beginning in January 2020. In June 2020, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office narcotics investigators made two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Brooks. In July 2020, Brooks was arrested on outstanding state drug trafficking warrants. He was in possession of a loaded AR-15 style assault rifle, a 9mm pistol equipped with an extended ammunition magazine, and a quantity of methamphetamine. In 2022, Brooks was also arrested in Rock Hill for possessing firearms and unlawful narcotics.
In January 2021, Railey was found with nearly an ounce of 99% pure methamphetamine during a domestic incident. The following month, Railey sold a quantity of methamphetamine to Lancaster County narcotics investigators during an undercover controlled buy.
In February 2021, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office narcotics investigators made a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Underwood. Investigators searched Underwood’s home a few days and found more methamphetamine and a firearm. In March 2023, investigators made another controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Underwood. A second search was made of Underwood’s home and more methamphetamine, and another firearm were found in the home.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the case.
- Brooks pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 108 months in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision.
- Railey was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine.
- Underwood pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 72 months in prison, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department Sues South Carolina for Violating Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department sued the State of South Carolina today for unnecessarily segregating adults with mental illness in adult care homes, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The department previously notified South Carolina of its findings of civil rights violations in a July 2023 letter, which identified steps that the state should take to remedy the violations.
“People with disabilities in South Carolina can and must be able to receive services in their own homes, rather than being isolated in institutions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to ensure that people with disabilities can receive the services necessary to enable and empower them to leave institutions, and participate fully in community life.”
“The ADA requires public entities to administer services, programs and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “South Carolina must remedy the alleged violations identified by the Justice Department so that these individuals can obtain services in their own communities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
The ADA and Olmstead decision require state and local governments to ensure that the services for adults with mental illness are provided in the most integrated setting appropriate. Community-based services, such as Assertive Community Treatment and supportive housing, are effective in supporting people in their own homes and communities rather than institutional settings. Absent these services, many South Carolinians with mental illness who could live in the community remain in, and continue to enter, adult care homes.
The lawsuit alleges that South Carolina violates the ADA by failing to provide community-based services to prevent the unnecessary segregation of adults with mental illness in adult care homes. As a result, over a thousand adults with mental illness are segregated in adult care homes for years, and more continue to enter these facilities each month.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. Individuals with information relevant to this matter can contact the department by emailing [email protected].
For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Conway Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Evidence presented to the court showed that agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered an Internet user associated with an address in Conway who engaged in Bitcoin transactions with a Darknet site from which users purchased CSAM. HSI discovered that the user engaged in several Bitcoin transactions with Bitcoin addresses within the website between March 2016 and August 2016 and that the username on the account was Laine Clark. HSI obtained a federal search warrant for the residence in Conway, and during the search, agents found multiple electronic devices. During a forensic examination of the seized devices, HSI found 10,910 images and 1,210 videos of CSAM. Clark was present during the search and admitted to his involvement in CSAM-related activities.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Clark to 78 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Clark was ordered to pay $41,000.00 in restitution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Ravenel Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Derrick Santell Brown, 33, of Ravenel, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Jan. 12, 2023, an officer with the Goose Creek Police Department conducted a traffic stop on an SUV for having an inoperable headlight. Immediately upon stopping in a nearby parking lot, Derrick Brown, the defendant, and sole occupant, exited the vehicle. After a brief interaction with the officer, Brown fled the traffic stop. He was apprehended by another officer about 300 yards away. Brown had more than $10,000 in cash, 43 grams of marijuana split in two bags, and two cell phones on his person. A search of the car revealed an AK-47 style firearm with an extended magazine containing 48 rounds.
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Brown to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Goose Creek Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Holmes is prosecuting the case.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $1.2M Wire Fraud and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. —Troy Benjamin Bittner, 55, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that from November 2020 to December 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bittner was employed as a general manager at the Carolina Pines RV Resort in Conway. During that time, when it was not uncommon for guests to cancel reservations, he fraudulently generated $828,516.00 in customer refunds that were neither authorized nor requested by guests for completed reservations. After generating the fraudulent refunds, Bittner then wired the refunds to his personal bank accounts. Bittner also stole cash from the Carolina Pines RV Resort’s cloud-based point-of-sale system and documented it as refunds. In addition, in both 2020 and 2021, Bittner electronically filed with the IRS a Form 1040 in which he substantially understated his total income for calendar years 2020 and 2021, resulting in a total tax loss of $281,727.00.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Bittner to 37 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Bittner was ordered to pay a total of $1,219,894.72 in restitution.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Rock Hill Man Sentenced as Career Offender for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freddie Antwon Thompson, 34, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court revealed that on Nov. 2, 2022, officers with the Rock Hill Police Department discovered Thompson, in possession of a loaded firearm, ammunition, marijuana, crack cocaine, and oxycodone following a routine traffic stop. During his arrest on federal charges, Thompson was found with another loaded firearm, additional marijuana, and a digital scale.
As a result of prior felony convictions, Thompson was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. His criminal history includes convictions for offenses such as distribution of imitation controlled substances, distribution of marijuana, distribution of ecstasy, trafficking in methamphetamine and cocaine base, unlawful carrying of weapons, unlawful possession of stolen firearms, and resisting arrest. Due to his prior drug convictions, Thompson was sentenced as a career offender.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Thompson to 170 months imprisonment, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Police Officer Recognized with Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, including Lance Corporal Justin Boyd of the Columbia Police Department.
This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety.
“Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.”
The best of community policing is demonstrated throughout the work of Lance Corporal Boyd – from the partnerships he forms, to the community outreach that’s a regular part of his work, to the investigations he successfully conducts to make his community safer. And that involves all segments of the community -- including those disenfranchised residents who often go unseen and unheard. Thanks to his efforts, their voices are now part of the conversation, and the community is safer for it.
“Lance Corporal Boyd represents the best of South Carolina law enforcement. Our community is stronger and safer thanks to his dedicated service,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Now, more than ever, we need officers like him, dedicated to community policing. Congratulations, LCpl Boyd.”
“This prestigious award is proof that law enforcement officers care about the people who live, work, and play in the various communities in which they serve. And that is exactly the gift that Lance Corporal Boyd offers City of Columbia citizens,” said Columbia Police Chief W.H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook. “He has a genuine way of connecting with people in a relatable, caring level. For him, community policing goes beyond a daily assignment -- he embraces it wholeheartedly.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.
The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities.
The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.
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Bookkeeper and Sister Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling $1.5M from Florence County BusinessRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Margaret Ward Heilman, 66, of Darlington County and Katherine Ward Gray, 60, of Florence County, were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Heilman was the bookkeeper for a business in Florence County. As bookkeeper, she had access to the business’s bank accounts and had signature authority. Beginning in 2014, Heilman began to write checks to herself and others, to include her sister, Gray, for personal expenses. When Heilman wrote the checks to herself, and others, she made them look like legitimate business expenses on the business’s general ledger.
Through the course of the scheme, Heilman defrauded the company out of $1.5 million.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Heilman to 20 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Heilman was also ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution. Gray was sentenced to seven months in imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Gray was ordered to pay $234,131.82 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy F. Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Two-time Federally Convicted Georgia Man Sentenced in Upstate Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The final defendant in an Upstate drug trafficking conspiracy, Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, after having served a prior federal sentence on similar charges.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Feb. 22, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Wilson, locating more than 5,800 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol with 19 rounds. The investigation revealed that over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for trafficking over 89 kilograms of methamphetamine.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Wilson to 235 months imprisonment, followed by 120 months supervised release, and ordered a forfeiture judgement of $311,000.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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SCDC Inmate and 4 Florence Co-Conspirators Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a four-count indictment against Samual Earl Ramu, 33; Kathy Denise Roberts-Poston, 57; Michael Allen Dorsey, 56; Justin Allen Cox, 40; and Ryan Marie Lovell, 37, all of Florence, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that the five named defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in South Carolina since at least May 2021. Ramu faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently incarcerated and serving a 15-year sentence with the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Dorsey faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently detained on related state charges. Roberts-Poston, Cox, and Lovell each face maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment and are currently detained awaiting their initial appearances before the Honorable Kaymani D. West, United States Magistrate Judge.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Ellis is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Ohio Man Indicted in South Carolina for Exploiting and Stalking Minors on Social MediaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging Jack Keegan Davis, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, with coercion and enticement of minors, production, distribution, and possession of child pornography*, and cyberstalking.
The indictment alleges that from August 2022 through October 2024, Davis used at least four social media platforms and 130 social media display names to pose as a minor and interact with minors on social media. Davis used those accounts to persuade minor victims to engage in sexual conduct and to produce child sexual abuse material. Davis allegedly received that material, possessed it, and distributed some of that content to other minors, including classmates of one of his victims. He also allegedly used the material to harass and threaten at least one of his minor victims and their family. Although one minor obtained a restraining order, Davis continued to contact the minor and the minor’s family after the no contact order was served on Davis.
Davis also allegedly threatened to kill one minor and the minor’s family, including: “Im going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “[Victim] ur ded,” “Im going to f***ing kill [Victim],” “I am not kidding I am going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “If [Victim] doesn’t answer me I’m going to [Victim’s] house,” and “I won’t stop until you’re dead.” Davis allegedly shared the victim’s home address, said he would be there when the minor’s father was out of town, promised “revenge if it’s the last thing I do,” and wrote, “lol I just want [Victim] to suffer.” Davis is alleged to have minor victims in multiple states, including South Carolina.
FBI agents arrested Davis in the Southern District of Ohio, where he was ordered detained following a contested bond hearing. He was transported by the U.S. Marshals to South Carolina and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett in Columbia, where he was ordered detained pending trial. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson will preside over the case.
Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on the production of child pornography charge and a maximum of life on the coercion and enticement charge. Davis also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution, a special assessment of $5,000, supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for a period of up to life following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Kershaw County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and critical assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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NOTE: While the current federal statutes still contain the term “child pornography,” experts in the field now recognize “child sexual abuse material” as the more accurate terminology.
Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun Charge Following Accidental ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Contaurus Dermont Smith, 46, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on June 30, 2023, Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a shooting on the 900 block of House Street. Upon arrival, officers found Smith laying in the street with a gunshot wound to his leg. CPD’s Real Time Crime Center surveillance camera in the area captured the incident and showed Smith accidentally shooting himself in the leg. The surveillance also showed another person go back to the spot of the accidental shooting, pick up an object, and move it inside the home at 940 House Street. Based on that footage and a statement from another witness, CPD officers secured a search warrant for that home. Inside, they found four different firearms, including one with a machinegun conversion device attached to it that would allow it to function as an automatic weapon. Smith accepted responsibility for possessing the firearm with which he shot himself as a convicted felon and the court held him responsible for possession of the machinegun found alongside that pistol. Smith is convicted felon and is unable to lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Smith to 63 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Based primarily on Smith’s lengthy record of violence convictions and a prior federal conviction for the same firearm possession charge, Judge Currie granted in part the Government’s motion for an upward variance and imposed a sentence above the guidelines for this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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Fourth and Final V.C. Summer Executive Sentenced for Misconduct in Connection with Failed Nuclear Construction ProjectRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jeffrey Alan Benjamin, 62, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to causing SCANA, a publicly-traded company, to keep false records in connection with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear construction project in Jenkinsville, South Carolina.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Benjamin served as senior vice president for new plants and major projects at the Westinghouse Electric Company and directly supervised all new nuclear projects worldwide during the V.C. Summer project. Westinghouse was the primary contractor on the project, tasked with designing and building two new nuclear units in Jenkinsville.
Evidence revealed that Benjamin’s failure to provide truthful information to SCANA enabled SCANA executives to deceive shareholders, regulators, and ratepayers about the schedule and costs of the new nuclear construction project. In late 2016, confronted with information that the project was delayed and that up to $2.2 billion in federal tax credits were at risk, SCANA executives withheld that information from regulators in an effort to keep the project going. Their false and misleading statements allowed SCANA to obtain and retain rate increases imposed on SCANA’s rate-paying customers.
Benjamin is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in this multi-year investigation. Three other executives were previously convicted and have served their respective sentences.
Kevin B. Marsh, former SCANA Corporation chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors, was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay a $5 million penalty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Stephen Byrne, former executive vice president of SCANA and former chief operating officer of South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $1 million after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Carl Churchman, former Westinghouse Electric Corporation vice president and the project director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project, was sentenced to six months of home detention after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators.
In addition, in 2021 the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced an agreement securing Westinghouse’s cooperation in the V.C. Summer criminal investigation and payment of $21.25 million for low-income ratepayer relief.
“The defendants in this case did not simply make a corporate error. They intentionally misled, and their dishonesty in the V.C. Summer project caused a great deal of harm to the people of South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “This sentence sends a clear message of deterrence to executives and corporations who believe they are above the law: deceit and fraud will be met with accountability and justice.”
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Benjamin to 12 months and one day in federal prison to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Benjamin was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
This case was investigated by U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI Columbia Field Office, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
First Assistant United States Attorney Brook Andrews, along with Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Holliday and Emily Limehouse, Trial Attorney Bill Schurmann, and Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran prosecuted the case.
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Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Robert Namath Emory, 54, of Lancaster, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after embezzling funds from his employer.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Emory was the head of the accounting department for Mar Mac Protective Apparel, a company in McBee that makes hazardous materials (HAZMAT) suits. Mar Mac used an invoice system that attached a blank, physical check to invoices of large vendors, but would submit payment electronically. Mar Mac used check numbers internally and never submitted them to the bank, thereby avoiding using duplicate checks numbers. Beginning in January 2016, Emory would exploit a flaw in this system by doubling the amount of the invoices, making an electronic payment to the vendor and then use the check numbers to write physical checks to himself or his personal LLC.
Emory pleaded guilty to count one of his 50-count indictment for submitting a fraudulent check for $9,583.79 in February 2021. Through this scheme, Emory was able to obtain nearly $5 million. Emory was previously convicted of wire fraud in 2008.
Emory faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Emory after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case.
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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Antonie Albert Eaddy, 49, of Arizona, has pleaded guilty in Columbia to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a quantity of crack cocaine and a quantity of marijuana.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Eaddy was supplying multiple people in Columbia, Florence, and Lee Counties in South Carolina with cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl pills. The police learned of his operation while investigating a person in Columbia who was purchasing cocaine from Eaddy. During their investigation, the police learned that Eaddy was supplying him with cocaine and fentanyl pills. Eaddy was shipping the drugs through the postal service and through couriers who picked up the drugs from Eaddy and transported money and drugs to and from South Carolina. During their investigation, the police, with the help of the United States Postal Inspection Service, seized two packages that contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine, 500 grams of marijuana, five grams of crack cocaine and 344 gross grams of fentanyl pills that was set to be delivered to another co-conspirator in Columbia for a wider distribution. Police also learned that Eaddy was shipping fentanyl pills through the mail to other co-conspirators in Miami, Florida. Three other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their involvement in this conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
Eaddy faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Eaddy after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This operation and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Social Media Drug Sale and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Booker Henley, 30, of Columbia, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after being found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Evidence presented at trial showed that on March 10, 2023, a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Henley’s vehicle in northeast Columbia. Henley fled from the deputy but crashed his vehicle moments later. Members of the public reported the crash and multiple RCSD deputies responded to the crash site believing the vehicle was the same vehicle that had escaped earlier. Henley ran from the crash before deputies arrived. The vehicle smelled of marijuana, and when deputies searched the vehicle, they found a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, a bag containing 252 grams of marijuana, and a bill of sale for another vehicle in Henley’s name.
Prior to the crash, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), observed Henley’s social media accounts where he posted pictures of himself and marijuana that he advertised for sale using the deceptive hashtag #notforsale. ATF obtained surveillance footage from the crash site which showed Henley running from the vehicle wearing unique clothing. Henley had previously posted pictures of himself wearing the same unique clothing on social media. Law enforcement also obtained a search warrant for his social media account which confirmed that he was using social media to advertise and sell drugs in the days before and after the crash. Notably, social media messages revealed that he had completed a drug sale in Columbia approximately 45 minutes before the chase with law enforcement. The search warrant revealed that he messaged someone four days after the crash admitting to wrecking his “skat” which is a term used to reference certain models of Dodge Chargers.
Lastly, Henley’s DNA was found on both the firearm and the extended magazine. Henley has prior convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm at a person, breaking into a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen pistol, and failure to stop for a blue light.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Henley to a total 144 months imprisonment consisting of concurrent sentences of 84 months and 60 months for the felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana convictions followed by a consecutive sentence of 60 months for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense conviction. The sentence of incarceration will be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.
10 Convicted in South Carolina for Multi-State Identity Theft and Fraud RingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ten defendants have been convicted in federal court for their participation in an identity theft and fraud ring based out of Columbia, South Carolina with victims in at least South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, and New York. The following defendants have been convicted of the following offenses:
- Ronda Weston, a/k/a “Lisa Caldwell,” a/k/a “Lisa Baker,” 49, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud related to PPP loans. Weston faces up to 20 years in federal prison, plus an additional mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other time, forfeiture of assets and property seized from Weston during the investigation, and mandatory restitution. Weston is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21. This is Weston’s third federal prosecution.
- Kashon Harrison, 46, of Elgin, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Harrison faces an agreed-upon two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Harrison is awaiting sentencing. This is Harrison’s second federal prosecution.
- Michael Terrance Butler, 54, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Butler faces up to 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14.
- Kasaun Dante Simons, 27, of Blythewood, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Simons faces up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property seized from Simons during the investigation, and mandatory restitution. Simons is awaiting sentencing.
- William Charles Brown, 37, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Brown faces a mandatory two years in federal prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Brown is awaiting sentencing. This is Brown’s second federal prosecution.
- Monique Sherrie Corbett, a/k/a “Monique Sumter,” 52, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervision, and more than $37,000 in restitution.
- Stanzetta Teresa Johnson, 63, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Johnson faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Johnson is awaiting sentencing.
- Shakirah Khalidah Chapman, 28, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Chapman faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Chapman is awaiting sentencing.
- Ashley Nicole Drummond, 39, of Lugoff, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Drummond faces a mandatory two years in prison, forfeiture of assets and property, and mandatory restitution. Drummond is awaiting sentencing.
- Darryl Dewayne Dumas, 61, of Palatka, Florida, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervision.
According to evidence presented in court, from at least July 2020 through August 2023, the conspirators obtained the stolen personal identifying information of identity theft victims from the dark web, including the names, home addresses, social security numbers, dates of birth, and credit scores of victims from at least nine states. One defendant’s home was searched by federal search warrant, and that search led to the recovery of a ledger with 151 identity theft victims listed in alphabetical order. Agents recovered fraudulent identity documents and financial records from numerous conspirators.
Weston generally led the scheme and recruited others to participate. The conspirators used the stolen identities to manufacture fraudulent driver’s licenses, utility bills, pay stubs, social security cards, and bank statements using their identity theft victims’ names and credit but with photos of the conspirators on the driver’s licenses. They then obtained money and property through fraudulent means, including:
- A vehicle purchase scheme, where conspirators obtained luxury vehicles including a Jaguar, a Maserati, a Range Rover, RVs, pickup trucks, sports utility vehicles, sedans, golf carts, motorcycles, three-wheel side-by-side vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles;
- A vehicle title loan scheme, where conspirators obtained title loans from financial institutions in the name of their identity theft victims by claiming they were selling vehicles between themselves;
- A personal title loan scheme, where conspirators obtained personal loans from financial institutions in the name of their identity theft victims by claiming planned home renovations or the purchase of appliances; and
- A residential rental scheme where conspirators fraudulently leased and rented residences in the name of their identity theft victims but for their own personal use, often leaving the residence owner unpaid and a debt in their identity theft victims’ names.
Individual conspirators were responsible for as much as $650,000 fraud through this scheme, and during the investigation, agents seized residences, real property, boats, vehicles, golf carts, cash, and other property as fruits and proceeds of the scheme. Many of the vehicles have been returned to the sellers.
Some conspirators also obtained fraudulent loans through the PPP program, which provided fully forgivable loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide emergency relief to businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted the guilty pleas of the defendants and will sentence the eight defendants awaiting sentencing at a later date. All of the defendants will be subject to court-ordered supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in South Carolina for the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
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Federal Jury Convicts Sumter Man of Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —A federal jury in Columbia has convicted Kelsey Antonio McCallum, 27, of Sumter, of illegally trafficking firearms.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that McCallum and his sister, Daeja Hodge, conspired to purchase firearms and resale those firearms for profit. At least 13 times from 2020-2022, McCallum made false statements to acquire firearms at dealers in Columbia, Sumter, and the Upstate. McCallum also purchased firearms from Georgia. During each purchase, McCallum falsely stated that the firearms were intended for his personal use, knowing that he intended to sell them. McCallum would then illegally transport the firearms to Maryland and sell them there. McCallum and Hodge acquired over 100 firearms during this scheme. Most of those firearms ended up in the hands of felons prohibited from possessing firearms or at crime scenes in the Baltimore area. A few firearms were also sold in North Carolina. At trial, the Government introduced more than 30 firearms and ammunition found by law enforcement in the Baltimore area.
Hodge pleaded guilty to her role in the offense prior to McCallum’s trial.
McCallum faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis will sentence McCallum after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in South Carolina and Maryland, investigated the case along with assistance from numerous local agencies in South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.
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Summerville Brothers Plead Guilty to Selling $35M Worth of Counterfeit ViagraRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Ibrahim Shedid, 29, and Ahmed Shedid, 35, of Summerville, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell and traffic counterfeit goods for selling counterfeit Viagra pills in a $35 million scheme.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Ibrahim Shedid owned and operated Big Boss Puff Stuff and Ahmed Shedid owned and operated A2Z Warehouse. The brothers worked together to distribute and sell counterfeit Viagra to convenience stores, knowing the pills were counterfeit.
In January 2024, law enforcement intercepted a shipment of 19 bottles of counterfeit Viagra, which was being delivered to Big Boss Puff Stuff. After the delivery, more counterfeit Viagra was seized from a storage unit associated with both Ahmed Shedid and Ibrahim Shedid. The retail value of all counterfeit Viagra seized from the defendants was in excess of $35 million.
Ibrahim Shedid faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and Ahmed Shedid also faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Both also face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.
U.S. District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence Shedid and Shedid after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Guatemalan Man Guilty of Kidnapping Child He Helped Smuggle into U.S. Sentenced to 14 YearsRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Bernardino de Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez, a/k/a Carlos Mendoza, 35, of Guatemala, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and illegal transportation of an alien.
Following two days of trial, Ramirez-Ramirez entered a guilty plea for kidnapping and illegal transportation of an alien. Evidence presented to the court showed Ramirez-Ramirez and the minor victim’s family entered into an agreement for the minor victim to be smuggled into the United States. Months later when the minor victim crossed into the United States, she encountered officers with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. As an unaccompanied minor, Border Patrol provided her with treatment for injuries sustained during her smuggling and transferred her to a residential facility until she could be released to an appropriate custodian within the United States. The U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement reviewed the minor victim’s smuggling case and learned that the minor victim owed a debt to Ramirez-Ramirez, that the minor victim had never met Ramirez-Ramirez, and that she would prefer to reside with a family member in the United States rather than her smuggler Ramirez-Ramirez. Despite Ramirez-Ramirez and the victim’s parents in Guatemala pressing for the release of the minor to Ramirez-Ramirez pursuant to their illegal smuggling agreement, the minor victim was released to an uncle residing in Newberry, South Carolina in March 2023.
Less than a week after the minor victim arrived at her uncle’s home in Newberry, Ramirez-Ramirez drove from Kansas City, Missouri to the uncle’s home. The minor victim was told she would be deported if she stayed with her uncle and that the smuggling debt would increase if she did not leave with Ramirez-Ramirez. Under these pressures, the minor victim left with Ramirez-Ramirez who drove her across the country to his home in Kansas City. When the uncle returned home from work and learned that the minor victim was missing, he notified local law enforcement.
Within 24 hours of the kidnapping, the Newberry Police Department and SLED had tracked Ramirez-Ramirez from Newberry to Kansas City and identified a home associated with Ramirez-Ramirez. The Kansas City Police Department responded to the home, recovered the minor victim, and arrested Ramirez-Ramirez.
“Kidnapping, especially the kidnapping of vulnerable children, is a monstrous offense,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The quick collaborative response of law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions saved this child from additional harm and trauma.”
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Ramirez-Ramirez to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by a five-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Newberry Police Department, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Fisher Sherard and Kathleen Stoughton are prosecuting the case.
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Spartanburg Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second Federal Cocaine Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Maurice Suber, 39, of Spartanburg was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that since at least 2022, Suber was distributing drugs in the Highlands area of Spartanburg. On Nov. 15, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Suber’s home and multiple firearms and cash were located. Suber had previously been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the same federal courthouse.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Suber to 141 months in federal prison, followed by a court ordered term of supervision. The court also entered an order of forfeiture for $3.8 million dollars.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Border Enforcement Security Task Force – Upstate South Carolina, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Two S.C. Prosecutors Honored with Awards for ExcellenceRead the Press Release
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Two South Carolina prosecutors were recently honored for their excellence and achievements in the criminal justice system. The awards are presented each year during the South Carolina Solicitors’ Annual Conference, which is held in Myrtle Beach.
The 2024 honorees are:
Ernest F. Hollings Award (General Sessions): Deputy Solicitor Ashley Hammack, 2nd Circuit Solicitor’s Office
Ernest F. Hollings Award (Attorney General): Assistant Deputy Attorney General Kinli Abee, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office
The Ernest F. Hollings Awards for Excellence in State Prosecution were conceived in 1996 and begun in 1997 as a means for federal prosecutors to take the lead in publicly recognizing their state court colleagues who generally must do much more with much less. As Chairman of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, then United States Attorney J. René Josey enlisted the support of United States Senator Ernest F. Hollings to make the awards a reality. As a former Charleston prosecutor and longtime legislative supporter of law enforcement, Senator Hollings was more than willing to lend his aid. The Senator Hollings awards are presented annually to recognize an Assistant Solicitor in each of the following categories: (1) excellence in prosecution in the Court of General Sessions; and/or (2) excellence in prosecution in the Family Courts. In 2006, a third category was added to recognize an Assistant Attorney General.
The award selections committee is comprised of the Chairman of the South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the President of the S.C. Solicitor’s Association, the Chief of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the John Justice family.
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Final Defendant Pleads Guilty, Three Others Sentenced in Upstate Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Three members of an Upstate drug ring have been sentenced to federal prison and the final member has pleaded guilty for their role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
Richard Brian Walker, 49, of Chesnee, was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment. Walker additionally pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Rebecca Elizabeth Whitesides, 54, of Mooresboro, N.C., 120 months’ imprisonment. Whitesides also pled guilty to money laundering.
Amanda Gail Tuck, 45, of Chesnee, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment.
The final defendant Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia pled guilty to conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Wilson was convicted in a prior federal methamphetamine conspiracy case in 2000.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on Jan. 18, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over Whitesides on I-85 and searched her car, finding almost two kilograms of methamphetamine. Investigation into her bank accounts demonstrated that she was assisting others to conceal payments for drug proceeds.
On Feb. 22, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was conducting surveillance on Walker’s home and observed Wilson’s car arrive and leave. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Wilson, locating more than 5,800 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol with 19 rounds. Over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for trafficking 50 kilograms of methamphetamine with Walker.
A search warrant was also executed on Walker’s residence and storage building that day, and investigators located over 500 grams of methamphetamine and 85 grams of fentanyl, a loaded pistol, a rifle, and an unmarked short-barreled AR-15 style rifle, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” Tuck was also located on the premises.
Only a month later, on March 24, 2023, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over Tuck and located almost a kilogram of her methamphetamine in a U-Haul truck.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced the defendants and accepted Wilson’s guilty plea. The court ordered each sentence to be followed by a term of supervised release. Judge Coggins will sentence Wilson at a later date. The maximum penalty for the offense is life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man on Federal Supervised Release Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Daisean Montez Skeeters, 30, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 17, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call at Skeeters’ home. After arriving, police learned there might be firearms in the home. Because Skeeters was already on federal supervised release for a previous federal firearms conviction, agents also spoke to his U.S. Probation Officer, who said he was also advised of firearms in the home. Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and located two firearms, including one loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition. Agents obtained a second search warrant for Skeeters’ DNA to compare to swabs taken from those firearms. DNA testing confirmed an extremely high probability that Skeeters’ DNA was present on one of the firearms. Skeeters entered a guilty plea to possessing that firearm as a convicted felon.
Skeeters was already on federal supervised release following a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces a separate penalty for violating the terms of that release.
According to a sentencing memorandum filed by the Government in his prior case (3:19-CR-992), Skeeters has a history of leading a street gang that was responsible for a substantial disruption of local communities to include through gun violence, organized drug distribution, and fraud schemes.
Skeeters faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Skeeters after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department with forensic assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford are prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs Appoints District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) John Potterfield will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 5 general election. AUSA Potterfield has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of South Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Boroughs said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Boroughs stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Potterfield will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 803-919-3092.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI Columbia field office can be reached by the public at 803-551-4200.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Boroughs said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and
Two South Carolina Men Plead Guilty to Hate Crimes, Conspiracy and Other Charges for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic VictimsRead the Press Release
Two South Carolina men pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina, to federal hate crime and other charges in connection with a string of racially-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 27, and Michael Joseph Knox, 29, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The defendants targeted their victims because of their victims’ race and national origin.
Both defendants admitted their involvement in a Jan. 22, 2021, armed robbery in which the defendants followed their victims from a grocery store and restaurant to their home and then robbed the victims at gunpoint, stealing cash and a cellphone. They also admitted their involvement in a Jan. 30, 2021, armed robbery and carjacking targeting a Hispanic victim after following him from a gas station to his home. The defendants admitted their involvement in another Jan. 30, 2021, armed robbery in which they targeted a Hispanic victim, followed him from a gas station to his home and then robbed him and others at gunpoint after following him into his home. In total, the defendants pleaded to three hate crime charges, one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy and two firearms charges. Two other co-conspirators, Gabriel Brunson, 21, and Sierra Fletcher, 34, both of Columbia, previously pleaded guilty to hate crime, conspiracy and firearm offenses.
“These defendants targeted Hispanic victims for violent acts of armed robbery because of their race, national origin and perceived vulnerability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Every person, regardless of their race or national origin, is entitled to the full protection of the law, and no person should have to fear for their lives or property because of their race or ethnicity. The Justice Department will continue to protect all Americans and will vigorously prosecute those who commit bias-motivated crimes.”
“While these defendants sparked fear for an entire community by targeting members of our Hispanic community, today’s hearing sends a louder message: we will not tolerate bias-based crimes in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The Justice Department will continue to relentlessly protect and enforce the civil rights of everyone in South Carolina.”
“These defendants used violent acts of armed robbery to purposely target Hispanic victims simply because of their race,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “We hope the guilty plea by these two defendants serves notice that violence borne from hate will never be tolerated in our communities. The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to uphold the Constitution and protect the civil rights of everyone, fairly and equally.”
“Clippard and Knox egregiously sought to exploit and intimidate their victims based on their Hispanic ethnicity,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Their violent robberies instilled fear in their victims and innocent working people within the Hispanic community. These criminal acts have no place in our society, and we are committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals, regardless of their background.”
The defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 14 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. The plea agreements require both defendants to pay restitution to all victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Columbia Police Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Garner and E. Elizabeth Major for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorneys Katherine McCallister and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Spartanburg Drug Trafficking Organization Members Sentenced to a Total of 1,257 Months for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Nine defendants of a Spartanburg area illegal drug trafficking ring were sentenced to a total of 1,257 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute illegal drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Three defendants (Bobo, Jacobs, and Canty) were also convicted of money laundering.
The follow defendants were sentenced:
Terrance Bobo, 53, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced to 204 months.
Michael Jacobs, 40, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 277 months.
Maurice Canty, 48, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 292 months.
Kevin Jeter, 49, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 172 months.
Shuler Holmes, 39, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 144 months.
James Foster, 61, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 72 months.
Daniel Gregory, 43, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 65 months.
Jahid Warden, 29, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 22 months.
Danny Goode, 46, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to nine months.
“These nine defendants were responsible for trafficking large amounts of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, in the Upstate, said Adair Ford Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Our community is safer thanks to this thorough investigation by our law enforcement partners.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message we will not tolerate drug trafficking in our communities,” said HSI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these dangerous networks and protect the safety of our citizens.”
Evidence presented to the court showed that Terrance Bobo was a Georgia-based supply source for a Spartanburg drug trafficking organization. Bobo began sourcing cocaine in 2013 and was responsible for distributing more than 190 kilograms of cocaine. Bobo owned and operated a real estate business called All in One, LLC, which he used to further and conceal the drug trafficking operation. During the drug trafficking conspiracy, Bobo and another co-conspirator purchased a car garage/repair shop at 501 Textile Road.
In 2021, Michael Jacobs was released from federal prison and returned to his hometown of Spartanburg and restarted his drug trafficking business. Jacobs became the primary spoke of the Spartanburg-based distribution ring and operated the car garage at 501 Textile Road as a stash house and distribution hub, using a hydraulic press to package kilograms of illegal drugs at the location.
In at least 2023, Maurice Canty, another former federal defendant previously sentenced for drug trafficking charges in Spartanburg, joined the drug trafficking conspiracy. Canty had his own subordinates, Jahid Warden and James Foster, who drove Canty and conducted drug sales of methamphetamine and fentanyl on his behalf.
In September of 2023, Canty and Foster were arrested in a car, which contained methamphetamine, crack cocaine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Gregory was another sub-distributor of fentanyl for Canty and began working with Jacobs directly when Canty was arrested.
Law enforcement also identified Kevin Jeter as a sub-distributor of fentanyl and cocaine, responsible for over 50 kilograms of cocaine during the conspiracy. Jeter sold drugs from a business he operated, Blood Brothers Wash and Detail, formerly known as Litt. In February of 2022, Jeter was pulled over by Spartanburg officers with crack cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded handgun.
During the investigation, Danny Goode was arrested during a traffic stop on October 26, 2023, after obtaining over four ounces of cocaine for distribution from Jacobs.
In November of 2023, law enforcement executed a targeted arrest operation on the drug trafficking organization and conducted searches in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, including at the homes of Bobo, Jacobs, and Jeter. Search warrants were also executed at the garage at 501 Textile Road and at Blood Brothers Wash and Detail. Officers recovered numerous firearms during the searches. Thirteen kilograms of fentanyl was also recovered.
Shuler Holmes, a sub-distributor of pounds of methamphetamine and kilograms of opioids was also arrested on the federal charges, and his home was searched. In his house, law enforcement found with fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and a firearm.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Canty to 292 months imprisonment, Jacobs to 277 months imprisonment, Bobo to 204 months imprisonment, Jeter to 172 months imprisonment, Holmes to 144 months imprisonment, Foster to 72 months imprisonment, Gregory to 65 months imprisonment, Warden to 22 months imprisonment, and Goode to 9 months imprisonment. All sentences were ordered to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision.
Judge Coggins also entered the following money judgements: $4,500,000 (Bobo), $3,800,000 (Jacobs), $2,500,000 (Canty), $1,000,000 (Jeter), $50,000 (Gregory), and $50,000 (Holmes). Additionally, law enforcement seized numerous bank accounts for Jacobs and Bobo, $510,270 in cash from Jacobs, and $33,720 from Bobo. The judge also entered forfeiture judgments regarding numerous properties and vehicles including: a Tesla Model 3, a 2023 Dodge Ram TRX, a Chrysler Town and Country, a BMW X6 SUV, a Peterbilt Semi-truck, two Ford F-350s, a 1977 Caprice Classic, an ATV, a Monte Carlo, two Ford Mustangs, a RV, a dump truck, a skid steer tractor, a Chevy El Camino, a trailer, a Chevrolet truck, a semi-trailer, a F-650 Tow Truck, an Excavator. Four physical addresses were forfeited from Jacobs, and four were forfeited from Bobo.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from Border Enforcement Security Task Force – Upstate South Carolina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Four S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Honored at 2024 Strom Thurmond AwardsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Four South Carolina law enforcement officers were honored for their achievements today at the 41st annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon.
State, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across South Carolina attended the awards luncheon to celebrate these officers. The awards are presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation.
The 2024 honorees are:
City – Captain Marty Sawyer, Aiken Department of Public Safety
County – Chief Deputy Tom Fox, Horry County Sheriff’s Office
State – Director Bryan Stirling, S.C. Department of Corrections
Federal – Special Agent Paul Criswell, Homeland Security Investigations
The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by then 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 the four categories: (1) city/municipal; (2) county; (3) state; and (4) federal. An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, SCLEOA, and past recipients selects the winners from nominations received from across the state.
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South Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of a Black Transgender WomanRead the Press Release
Note: View a video statement from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke here.
A South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced today to life in prison for the August 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman from Allendale, South Carolina.
On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Ritter of all charges in the indictment, which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count, and one obstruction count, all arising out of the murder of Dime Doe. This was the first guilty verdict in trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) for violence against a transgender person.
“Bias-motivated violence has no place in our society. With today’s sentencing, the defendant is being held accountable for the senseless murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman of color,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We hope that the verdict and sentence in this case provides Ms. Doe’s loved ones with some sense of comfort and demonstrates that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate against the LGBTQI+ community.”
“This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the heinous and tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentencing will not bring Dime Doe back but hopefully provides a small measure of comfort to Dime’s family, loved ones and the community. This sentencing sends a clear message — the Justice Department vigorously defends the civil rights of every American. We will use all the resources at our disposal to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and we will investigate and prosecute perpetrators of transphobic-fueled violence in our country. In America, trans and gender non-conforming people, deserve to live their lives free from violence based on who they are and who they love.”
“Protecting civil rights remains at the forefront of our office’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “From the smallest of communities, like Allendale, to anywhere in South Carolina where hate and injustice occur. We will continue to fight for the rights of those targeted because of their race, their religion, their gender identity or sexual orientation, or their ability.”
“Today’s sentencing is a culmination of hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice for Dime Doe,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let me be clear, no one should live their life in fear because of their sexual identity or appearance. Charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Mr. Ritter will now face the consequences for his actions. This act reminds us of the need to unite against hate and violence in our communities.”
“This sentence reflects the gravity of Ritter’s horrific crime of murdering Dime Doe,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure to Doe’s loved ones. As they continue to mourn this tragedy, the FBI remains steadfast in ensuring the protection and dignity of all citizens.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe were out in the community. On Aug. 4, 2019, the defendant lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale and shot her three times in the head. At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing during the crime, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and Allendale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others, are available at www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
This release has been updated to reflect the correct date of Dime Doe's murder.
Horry County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machine Gun and Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. —Orlanier Colon Menendez, 21, of Conway has pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and multiple machine gun conversion devices.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Conway Police Department officers responded to a vehicle crash within the city limits involving Menendez. While investigating the crash, the responding officer found a .45 caliber handgun that had a machine gun conversion device installed on the firearm. During a search, officers found a backpack that contained an additional 12 machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock conversion switches, and a rotary tool with accessories commonly used to install the devices.
Menendez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Menendez after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Conway Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Joshua Levon West, 39, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 9, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department discovered West in possession of a loaded, stolen firearm. West is prohibited from possessing a firearm based on his prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, attempted strong arm robbery, and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced West to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
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Greenwood Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Weapons Violation Arising from State Domestic Violence ChargesRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Thaddeus Deon Devlin, Jr., 29, of Greenwood was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 11, 2023, a victim called 911 stating that her children’s father had a gun, threatened her with it, and had taken her 5-year-old son. Greenwood Police Department officers responded to the location where the victim indicated Devlin would likely take her child and saw Devlin pull up. When Devlin and the child exited the car, Devlin was holding a liquor bottle and stated that he had been drinking. Officers searched the car and located a loaded .40 caliber pistol. At the time of the offense, Devlin’s criminal history included multiple incidences of domestic violence, assault and battery, and a prior felon in possession of a firearm charge. Devlin was on federal supervised release at the time.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., sentenced Devlin to imprisonment for a term of 84 months on the indictment and a consecutive 16 months on the supervised release violation, all to be followed by a one-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greenwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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Operator of South Carolina Medicaid Call Center Agrees to Pay $11.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability; Two Former Employees Plead Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Conduent State Healthcare, LLC, headquartered in New Jersey, has agreed to pay $11,358,767 to resolve False Claims Act allegations arising from Conduent’s fraudulent reporting of call center performance metrics and false claims for payment to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS).
Two former employees of Conduent, Richard Kirchner, 71, of Branchburg, N.J., and Brian Devanney, 66, of Lexington, S.C., pleaded guilty for their role in fabricating performance metrics and adjusting invoices to SCDHHS. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Conduent took significant steps in cooperating with the government’s investigation, entitling it to credit.
Since 2016, Conduent has been operating the South Carolina Medicaid Member Contact Center (“call center”), which takes calls from South Carolina Medicaid recipients to resolve these individuals’ questions, requests, or concerns. Conduent’s contract with SCDHHS was performance-based and used a tiered payment structure, with Conduent receiving higher payments as completed call center contacts increased, and receiving penalties if certain metrics were not met.
Between Jan. 1, 2018, and Feb. 28, 2023, Kirchner and Devanney supplied fake reports to SCDHHS with inflated numbers for call volumes and misrepresented metrics to avoid penalties under the contract. SCDHHS paid Conduent an excess of $8,113,405 as a result of the fraudulent reports and invoices submitted by Devanney and Kirchner. Those payments benefitted Conduent.
On June 8, 2023, Conduent self-disclosed this conduct to the United States Attorney’s Office. Conduent took remedial measures, which included promptly disclosing the problem to SCDHHS within days of discovering the conduct, communicating to SCDHHS its plan for completing a more extensive investigation, suspending monthly invoices to SCDHHS until a loss amount was determined, immediately terminating Kirchner and Devanney and others, engaging independent outside forensic examiners to audit call center reports and quantify damages, returning to SCDHHS the money fraudulently received, gathering evidence and producing that evidence to the United States Attorney’s Office, and cooperating with the United States’ subsequent investigation.
“Protecting taxpayer dollars from such fraud and abuse is an important part of our work,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “This settlement highlights the importance of integrity in government contracting, the benefits of voluntary self-disclosure, and our commitment to protecting government healthcare programs.”
“Individuals who exploit government healthcare programs like Medicaid divert valuable taxpayer dollars from their intended use,” said Kelly J. Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG’s Self-Disclosure Protocol enables providers to voluntarily report potential violations of the False Claims Act, assisting us in identifying, investigating, and addressing Medicare and Medicaid fraud.”
“There is always an opportunity for businesses to do the right thing, and doing the right thing is especially important in the healthcare context,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “Our office has numerous men and women who work every day to ensure the Medicaid program in South Carolina functions properly; and sometimes our most important allies are those in the industry who identify when something has gone wrong and step forward.”
Under the False Claims Act, the United States is entitled to three times the amount of actual damages plus penalties of between $13,946 and $27,894 per false claim. Damages and penalties in this case could have resulted in a judgment of up to $26,069,643. Given Conduent’s voluntary disclosure and remedial actions, it resolved this case for $11,358,767.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adult and Medicaid Provider Fraud Control Unit (VAMPF).
Kirchner and Devanney are awaiting sentencing for their criminal charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Warren and Nancy Cote handled the civil matter for the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lothrop Morris and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the criminal matters for the United States.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.
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Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in $800,000 PPP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jacob Liticker, 27, of Houston, Texas was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Liticker was charged in the District of South Carolina for his role in a national fraud scheme related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized the PPP program to provide emergency economic relief to businesses suffering economic harm during and as a result of the pandemic.
According to evidence presented in court, Liticker led a scheme that submitted 86 fraudulent PPP loan applications for himself and others, many of whom resided in South Carolina. The scheme resulted in more than $870,000 in fraudulent PPP loans being issued to recipients who were not entitled to the pandemic relief funds. Liticker attempted to obtain more – he requested nearly $1.8 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
Liticker drafted PPP loan applications that falsely claimed businesses suffered financial harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he manufactured false and fraudulent documents submitted with the applications, he submitted the loan applications himself, he tracked the progress of the loans, and he helped co-conspirators obtain full forgiveness for the loans. He did so while having no criminal record and in college studying business. In exchange for his services, Liticker received a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds. During the pendency this case, Liticker also violated his bond, his bond was revoked, and he is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Liticker to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision and ordered him to pay $807,990.09 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Every dollar defrauded from the PPP program represents money stolen from legitimate businesses who needed support during a difficult time in our country,” said Adair Ford Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “This scheme took advantage of the public’s generosity by stealing almost a million dollars from taxpayers. We thank our law enforcement partners for bringing accountability in this case.”
“Jacob Liticker’s sentencing should stand as a clear warning to those who seek to prey upon and defraud government programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS will vigorously pursue perpetrators who employ Service Members in furtherance of their crimes, as well as Service Members who willingly participate in criminal behavior against the American people, the very people they swore an oath to protect.”
The case was investigated by the Airforce Office of Special Investigations, Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Marosek, who also serves as the Office’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, and Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Multi-State Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Seneca Moore, 43, of Sumter was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 28, 2020, Moore sold 112 grams of methamphetamine to FBI agents during an undercover operation. The initial meeting took place at Moore’s trucking business in Mayesville. Moore later left the location and texted the buyer to meet him in the parking lot of a local gas station where he sold 112 grams of meth with 99 percent purity to the FBI. During the sale, Moore spoke of the prices the meth could be sold for and of other drugs he could provide.
Further information presented to the court revealed that April 28, 2021, Moore conducted a second drug transaction at his trucking business. Law enforcement became aware of this transaction after the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI received information that a drug courier was headed to Sumter County from Alamance, N.C. to purchase a large amount of cocaine from Moore at his trucking business. Agents with the FBI contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, who established surveillance in the area. Agents observed the courier arrive at Moore’s trucking business in a blue sedan and interact with Moore before leaving the location. DEA and Sumter County reported the information back to North Carolina and the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, NCSBI, and DEA established surveillance in North Carolina and observed the same car arriving back in Alamance County. The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and searched the vehicle after a narcotics K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs. Officers found 16.04 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk of the vehicle.
As a condition of Moore’s guilty plea, he was required to forfeit his interest in nine properties, 31 items of personal property, including vehicles, and his business inventory. Moore has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Moore to 144 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement with Aiken County Public Schools in South Carolina to Protect Civil Rights of English Learner StudentsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the Aiken County Public School District in South Carolina to resolve the department’s investigation into allegations that English learner students were not receiving appropriate instruction and services.
The department’s investigation identified concerns that the district failed to provide hundreds of English learner students, including students with disabilities, the language instruction they needed to become fluent in English. English learner students also faced barriers to full participation in core subjects like science, math and social studies. Under the agreement, the district will ensure that English learner students receive sufficient English language instruction from qualified teachers and that teachers of core subjects are trained on instructional strategies to help support English learners in their classrooms.
“Students who are learning English deserve the same access to educational opportunities as their classmates,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring school districts comply with federal civil rights laws designed to provide equal access to education so that all students can pursue their dreams and aspirations. This agreement will help support English learner students in the Aiken County Public Schools so they can participate fully in their schools’ academic programs.”
“All South Carolina students deserve a chance to learn and engage in coursework. For English learners that means help in overcoming language barriers,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We are pleased that the Aiken County School District is working to serve the needs of its English learners so they can fully participate in their coursework and become successful members of our community.”
The district cooperated fully throughout the investigation and has already begun making improvements to its English learner program, including hiring a full-time director and training instructional coaches on strategies to better serve students. Under the agreement, the district will ensure its teachers have the qualifications, training and support needed to help students learn English and participate fully in their core subject classes. The district will also provide language translation and interpretation of important school information to parents who are not fluent in English and create an advisory board composed of parents, educators and community members.
The department’s Civil Rights Division conducted its investigation under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, which was enacted 50 years ago last month.
Enforcement of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the division’s Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/combating-national-origin-discrimination-schools.
Members of the public can report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
View a copy of the settlement agreement here.
View the settlement summary here. (Y en español aquí.)
View the settlement cover letter here. (Y en español aquí.)