District of South Carolina

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Erick Stewart, 28, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with the intent to distribute fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and tramadol.

Evidence presented to the court showed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) began investigating Stewart for drug- and gun-related activity in the beginning of 2021. During their investigation, they documented social media posts of Stewart posting guns and advertising drugs.

After months of surveillance, on May 5, 2021, RCSD obtained and executed a search warrant at Stewart’s home. They seized counterfeit prescription pills, over 900 grams of marijuana, and a pistol. One group of counterfeit pills contained fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, meth, and tramadol, and another contained methamphetamine and cocaine. The counterfeit pills were similar to the pills posted by Stewart on social media.

On June 20, 2021, a City of Columbia Police Department officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car driven by Stewart. Stewart ran from the car and fled between nearby houses. While Stewart ran, he was holding his waistband. The officer pursued Stewart, who gave himself up once he ran past the houses. Officers retraced the path that Stewart ran and found that he had discarded a gun between the houses.

Before these incidents, Stewart was a known gang member with convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as multiple convictions for burglary.  All of those convictions prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Stewart to 212 months in prison, to be followed by a six-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, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.

###

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Cory H. Fleming, 54, of Beaufort, was sentenced to nearly 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy.

Fleming admitted that from in or around March 2018 until at least October 2020, Fleming conspired with former personal injury attorney Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh to defraud the estate of Murdaugh’s former housekeeper and to obtain money and property from the estate by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses.

In February 2018, Murdaugh’s housekeeper passed away after a fall at Murdaugh’s home. Murdaugh recommended that the housekeeper’s estate hire Fleming—then a personal injury and criminal defense attorney in Beaufort—to represent them and file a claim against Murdaugh to collect from his homeowner’s insurance policies.  Murdaugh’s insurance companies settled the estate’s claim for $505,000 and $3,800,000.

Fleming further admitted that, as part of the scheme, Murdaugh and Fleming conspired to siphon settlement funds, disguised as “prosecution expenses,” for their own personal enrichment. Fleming directed the drafting of checks from the settlement funds held in his trust account to his personal bank account, fraudulently claiming that the funds were to pay for “expenses” related to the estate’s claim against Murdaugh. Fleming knew the funds belonged to the estate, and the payments were not for legitimate legal expenses.

In addition to the scheme Fleming admitted to in his guilty plea, Fleming was held responsible at sentencing for the theft of settlement funds from a client whose son passed away after being rendered a quadriplegic in a car accident.  Specifically, Fleming used $8,528.46 of the estate’s funds to issue two checks to pay for a private plane to attend the College World Series, and he wrote a $4,560 check from the estate’s trust account directly to Murdaugh claiming the funds were legitimate expenses.  Finally, Fleming used $89,133.44 remaining in the trust account to issue a check for Murdaugh’s benefit rather than properly disbursing the funds to the estate.

“Cory Fleming was trusted by clients who had suffered tragic losses, and he abused that trust for his own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “His theft of their settlement funds undermines the public’s confidence in our legal system, and we appreciate the partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division in holding him accountable.”

“This sentence sends a clear message that fraudulent financial activities will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to exploit innocent victims to line their own pockets will face severe consequences,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office said. “The FBI remains dedicated to upholding the law and protecting the interests of those who rely on transparent and honest transactions.”

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted Fleming’s guilty plea and imposed a 46-month sentence, followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. As part of the sentence, Fleming agreed to pay $102,221.90 in restitution. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case. 

The case against Fleming is No. 9:22-cr-394 (D.S.C.). The case against Murdaugh is No. 9:23-cr-396 (D.S.C.). 

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Four Columbia men have been sentenced to federal prison after selling drugs and guns to an undercover law enforcement officer.  Evidence presented to the court showed that between January and March of 2020, an undercover agent conducted 13 controlled buys of drugs and guns from the four co-defendants. In total, the undercover officer purchased more than 120 grams of crack cocaine, 66 grams of fentanyl, a small quantity of heroin, and 12 firearms from the group. 

Thomas Lee Thompson, Jr., 29, was a source of supply for some of the heroin and fentanyl sold.  During one of the controlled buys, on February 12, 2020, Thompson supplied his co-defendant, Gaylon Mareese Green, with a heroin/fentanyl mixture, which Greene then sold to the undercover officer. Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. He was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison, with a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision to follow.  

Gaylon Mareese Greene, 51, was the hand-to-hand distributor in all 13 sales. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison, with 8 years of court-ordered supervision to follow.

Calvin Lionell Thomas, 40, of Columbia, was the source of supply for more than 80 grams of crack cocaine and a firearm sold to the undercover officer. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison, with 5 years of court-ordered supervision to follow. 

Quinton Deshawn Howell, 35, of Columbia, was Green’s source of supply for heroin during one controlled buy, negotiating the prices and terms of a future sale. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 6 years of supervised release to follow.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis imposed the sentences. There is no parole in the federal system.

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 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 Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Travis Anthony Mason, 52, of Aiken, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to health care fraud.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Mason, through his company M3 Medical LLC, was involved in the marketing and sale of prescription compounded medications, which included various pain creams.  Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient.  Although compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient because, for example, the patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient or requires the medication in a different form.

Mason and his coconspirators would target individuals with federally funded health insurance plans, including TRICARE, that provided benefits for the compounded prescriptions.  They would obtain prescriptions for compounded medications, many of which were medically unnecessary, from a physician.  They would then direct that these prescriptions be filled by specific compounding pharmacies.

Mason and his coconspirators knew that the compounded medication would yield a high reimbursement.  For every compounded prescription that was filled, Mason was paid a percentage of the reimbursement amount. Over two years, Mason and his coconspirators caused $1,966,194.00 in loss to TRICARE.

“Fraud of healthcare programs steals resources from people who need care and, in this case, from men and women who have bravely served our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “We appreciate the hard work of our agency partners in the investigation of this scheme, and we stand ready to prosecute those who steal from government programs to enrich themselves.”

“Travis Mason thought TRICARE and other Federal healthcare programs were easy targets for fraud; he was sorely mistaken,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office.  “Nationwide fraud schemes like this degrade our healthcare system.  They also put the public and the military at risk.  DCIS stands resolute with its Federal law enforcement partners to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute perpetrators of these schemes.”

"Mason’s criminal acts jeopardized the health and well-being of unsuspecting victims, many of whom have served or continue to serve our country in the military,” Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the Columbia Field Office said. “Healthcare fraud remains a top priority for the FBI to investigate. We, along with our law enforcement partners, will take every measure available to unravel such schemes and bring perpetrators to justice."

United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson sentenced Mason to 31 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered him to pay the restitution in the amount of $1,966,194.00.

The case was investigated by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, a/k/a “Father Gonzalez,” 68, of Laurens, a former Catholic priest, has pleaded guilty in federal court to Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.  Specifically, Gonzalez-Farias admitted that he transported a minor victim from South Carolina to Florida with the intent to commit lewd and lascivious exhibition and lewd and lascivious molestation in violation of Florida state law. 

According to evidence presented in court:

Gonzalez-Farias served as a Catholic priest in Newberry and Laurens Counties.  In May 2020, Gonzalez-Farias met the minor victim and his family by virtue of his service as a priest.  He began giving gifts and increasing amounts of attention towards the minor victim.  In November 2020, the minor victim’s family reported to Catholic authorities their concern that the priest’s relationship with the minor victim was inappropriate.  Church authorities suspended Gonzalez-Farias and made a report to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, and an investigation ensued. 

The FBI conducted a forensic interview in which the minor victim disclosed that in November 2020, when the minor victim was 11 years-old, the priest took him to Florida under the pretense of a beach vacation. During that trip, Gonzales-Farias masturbated in front of the minor victim, attempted to sexually assault the minor victim, and showed the minor victim pornography.  The FBI corroborated the victim’s disclosures by recovering text messages and WhatsApp messages sent by the priest to the minor, which were consistent with the victim’s disclosures. 

When the FBI and the United States Marshals Service arrested Gonzales-Farias at the Miami International Airport, he admitted that he showered with the victim, that he touched the minor victim’s genitals, and that he showed the minor victim pornography.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gonzalez-Farias after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.  Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, plus fines and restitution. The statute also requires the defendant to register as a sex offender. 

The FBI is seeking the public’s help in identifying potential victims.  If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Gonzalez-Farias, or if you have relevant information about Gonzalez-Farias the FBI should know, you are encouraged to contact the FBI at 803-551-4200.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Eufracio Rodriguez, Jr., 52, of Lamesa, Texas, was sentenced to over 8 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, on September 17, 2022, officers and investigators with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) worked in conjunction with federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia to conduct an investigation into Rodriguez’ possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

CPD conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Rodriguez was a passenger. During the stop, the driver gave permission to search the car, and Rodriguez admitted to possessing drugs inside the car. Law enforcement located 20 bags of pills which tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight of the fentanyl pills was 2,188 grams. Rodriguez admitted to purchasing the fentanyl pills in Atlanta, Georgia, for between $13,000 and $16,000 and transporting them to South Carolina for distribution.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Rodriguez to 97 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/, https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/.

The DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Nariman Mahmoud Masoud, 35, of Florence, South Carolina, and Susan Masoud, 34, of Tampa, Florida, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to unemployment insurance benefits.

Nariman Masoud was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Nariman Masoud was ordered to pay $604,074.00 in restitution.  Susan Masoud was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay $454,074.00 in restitution.  United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III imposed the sentences. 

Evidence presented to the court showed that both defendants engaged in a scheme with others to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy submitted applications in four states – Arizona, New York, Florida, and South Carolina – using the personal identifying information of other individuals, sometimes without the person’s permission.  In some instances, members of the conspiracy would apply for benefits in multiple states using the same individual’s information.  Members of the conspiracy then received the funds associated with the fraudulent claims, primarily through either direct deposit or debit cards.  The investigation revealed a total of 69 fraudulent claims associated with the scheme, resulting in a total loss of $454,074.00 in unemployment insurance funds. 

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the New York State Department of Labor, the Arizona Department of Economic Security, and the Small Business Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.

###

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jerome Daniel Sanders, 44, of Saint George, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing privately manufactured firearms without a license and possessing a firearms silencer in violation of the National Firearms Act.

Evidence presented in court established that Sanders began advertising non-serialized privately manufactured firearms for sale online in 2020. During the investigation, ATF agents discovered that Sanders used specialized manufacturing equipment to mass-produce these untraceable firearms and then sell them without a federal firearms license. Between 2020 and 2022, Sanders listed 112 of these firearms for sale online and made several other in-person sales, including to undercover ATF agents. Sanders also sold a homemade fully functional firearms silencer to an undercover ATF agent during the investigation.

On June 3, 2023, federal agents conducted a search warrant at Sanders’ residence and recovered 35 firearms with serial numbers, 28 firearms without serial numbers, a cutting machine and drill press used to manufacture firearms, $20,000 in cash, and various other firearm manufacturing paraphernalia.

“Untraceable firearms in the hands of dangerous persons pose a significant threat to the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will investigate and prosecute those who illegally manufacture untraceable firearms and sell them for profit without a license.”

“While it is legal to build a firearm for personal use, those engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms without a federal firearms license are breaking the law and threatening our public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Individuals conducting business in this unlawful manner often put firearms in the hands of prohibited individuals. These firearms are also almost impossible to trace, which can impact investigations involving violent gun crime.”

United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Sanders to 2 years in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also ordered Sanders to forfeit his proceeds, firearms, and manufacturing equipment as part of the judgment.

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.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Low Country Violent Crime Task Force, and Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Troy Benjamin Bittner, 54, of Myrtle Beach, has pleaded guilty in federal court 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, South Carolina.  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 financial accounts.  In addition, on February 27, 2022, Bittner electronically filed with the IRS a 2021 Form 1040 in which he substantially understated his total income for calendar year 2021, resulting in a tax loss of $270,686.00.

Bittner faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain or gross loss of the offense, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Bittner after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

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 (USSS), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jeffrey Tavoun Allen, 34, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Evidence presented to the court showed that in September 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) made controlled buys of fentanyl-laced heroin from Allen. When Allen was arrested in December 2020, Allen was in possession of cocaine base, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Allen also had plastic baggies used in packaging drugs and a digital scale. 

In 2007, Allen was convicted in South Carolina state court for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. In 2018, Allen was again convicted in state court for multiple counts of distributing heroin.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Allen to 100 months in prison, 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 and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Daniel Scott Burgess, 39, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that between November 10, 2018, and September 5, 2021, law enforcement from various jurisdictions in Richland, Lexington, and Berkeley Counties arrested Burgess different times for various drug and firearm offenses.

Thereafter, federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia worked in conjunction with local law enforcement to adopt Burgess’ pending state cases for federal prosecution.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Burgess to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 

The DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The local law enforcement agencies involved in this case include the Town of South Congaree Police Department, Cayce Department of Public Safety, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Lexington County Fugitive Task Force, Springdale Police Department, Summerville Police Department, West Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.  Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/, https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/.

###

A South Carolina woman was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by preparing and filing false tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Georgina Gonzalez, formerly of Miami, worked as a tax return preparer since at least 2013. For the 2016 and 2017 tax filing seasons, Gonzalez temporarily relocated to South Carolina to prepare returns and manage multiple locations of a tax preparation business located in Columbia. At these offices, Gonzalez conspired with others to inflate client refunds by preparing returns that falsely claimed, among other things, business losses, household help income, and American Opportunity and education tax credits. Gonzalez and her co-conspirators charged clients up to $999 to prepare each return. In total, Gonzalez caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $420,000.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis ordered Gonzalez to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $423,917 in restitution to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Ashley Stein, Francesca Bartolomey, and Jessica Kraft of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Dominique Devonah Brand, 30, of Marion, was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences plus ten years in federal prison after being convicted of Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Carjacking Resulting in Death, and Using or Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in a Manner Constituting Murder.

Brand was convicted following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022.  Evidence presented by the Government showed that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered Mary Ann Elvington’s home in Nichols, South Carolina.   While inside the house, he fired a 12-gauge shotgun into the hallway floor at close range.  Mr. Brand’s DNA was later found on multiple items inside Ms. Elvington’s home, including the spent, 12-gauge shotgun shell he fired, a pizza slice he apparently ate from while there, a water bottle he drank from, and a jewelry box he touched.  Across the street from Ms. Elvington’s home, investigators found Mr. Brand’s blood and touch DNA inside a stolen church van that was stuck in the mud. 

At about 6:11 p.m. that Sunday, Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina.  During this trip, Mr. Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun.  Ms. Elvington’s cell site location information showed her car was initially headed back toward her home in Nichols.  But in Lake View, South Carolina, surveillance video from the Lake View Police Department captured Brand directing Ms. Elvington into the back seat of her car, moving a gun to the front seat, getting in the driver’s seat, and making a U-turn, heading away from Ms. Elvington’s home.  The surveillance video showed Brand was alone with Ms. Elvington—carrying a gun—shortly before she was murdered.  After leaving Lake View, Brand drove Ms. Elvington to a remote crossroads in Marion County and walked her behind the abandoned Zion Grocery store.  He held the shotgun to the back of her head and pulled the trigger, executing her.

Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club.  Investigators found Brand’s blood on a wooden block sitting in the driver’s seat and on a fuse puller on the ground outside the car.  Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening, March 29, 2021.  After learning he was a suspect, Brand turned himself in to authorities on March 31, 2021.

“Dominique Brand’s crimes were senseless, tragic, and irreversible,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “His conviction and life sentence reflect the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to working with our local, state, and federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable.  We hope Ms. Elvington’s loved ones can find healing in knowing that justice has been served.”

“This sentence brings a measure of accountability to a violent criminal who showed no regard for the sanctity of life,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “No sentence can fully heal the wounds of the victim’s loved ones, but it is our hope that those affected by this senseless act can begin healing knowing that justice prevailed.”

“The truly horrific nature of this case demonstrates how important developing our solid partnerships with other state and federal agencies is in solving crimes and holding those who commit them responsible to account for their actions,” said 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson. 

“Horry County Police Department is grateful for the local, state, and federal partnerships that made this investigation and arrest possible,” said Horry County Police Department Deputy Chief Brandon Strickland. “Through working together on a case that spanned across multiple jurisdictions, we were able to bring Brand to justice, and hopefully provide some small measure of closure for Ms. Elvington’s loved ones.”

Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said “[t]he kidnapping and subsequent murder of Mary Ann Elvington rocked not only our community, but my department.  When you work where you live it is difficult to avoid cases in which you personally know the families you serve. We pray that today's sentencing will bring much needed closure to the Elvington family and open the door for healing for all of us. "

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and imposed two concurrent life sentences on the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus ten years consecutive for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with significant assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as the Deputy Solicitor for the 15th Judicial Circuit. 

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Quadree Shakur Mayers, 36, of Columbia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

Evidence presented to the Court showed that over a 16-day period in late February and early March 2020, Mayers sold controlled substances to an undercover law enforcement agent on four separate occasions. On February 26, 2020, Mayers sold the agent 7 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture. On March 3, 2020, Mayers sold the agent 22 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and 6 grams of methamphetamine.  On March 9, 2020, Mayers sold the agent 51 grams of methamphetamine.

On March 13, 2020, Mayers distributed approximately 27 grams of heroin to the agent.  When he arrived to conduct the sale on March 13, Mayers carried a red fanny pack containing both the heroin and a loaded SCCY 9mm handgun. Federal law prohibits Mayers from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his prior criminal history.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Mayers to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

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 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.

The case was investigated by Columbia Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Flynn and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.

###

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Russell Lucius Laffitte, 53, of Estill, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.

“Russell Laffitte used his position of power and trust to steal from unusually vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “His crimes undermine the public’s trust in the judicial and banking systems, and we are grateful to the FBI, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for their partnership in ensuring he is held accountable.”

“This sentencing is the culmination of an exhaustive investigation by South Carolina law enforcement, the diligent efforts of the prosecutors, and the unwavering resolve of the victims,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “This outcome sends a clear message that the FBI and its partners will continue to pursue justice and protect the rights of innocent victims of complex financial crimes.”

Laffitte was convicted following a nearly three-week jury trial in November 2022. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Laffitte conspired with Hampton personal injury attorney Alex Murdaugh to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. During the conspiracy, Laffitte was an officer of Palmetto State Bank (“PSB”), and Murdaugh was a customer of the bank.

Laffitte—while serving as conservator for Murdaugh’s personal injury clients—extended $355,000 in personal loans to himself and $990,000 in personal loans to Murdaugh from funds held at PSB and belonging to the personal injury clients. Laffitte knew that the funds loaned to Murdaugh were used to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in overdraft on Murdaugh’s personal account. Laffitte also knew that Murdaugh used funds stolen from other personal injury clients to pay back the loans. Laffitte misapplied PSB funds by extending over $284,000 from a line of credit that was supposed to be used for farming to repay Murdaugh’s remaining loans from the conservatorship.

Laffitte, as conservator or personal representative for Murdaugh’s personal injury clients, received disbursement checks from Murdaugh’s law firm, then negotiated and distributed the funds according to and at Murdaugh’s direction. Laffitte transferred the disbursed settlement funds into bank money orders, cash, and other wire transfers for Murdaugh’s benefit. He collected nearly $400,000 in fees for serving as conservator and personal representative for Murdaugh’s clients.  

On two other occasions, Laffitte, as an officer and director of PSB, willfully misapplied bank funds. Specifically, on July 15, 2021, Laffitte willfully misapplied $750,000 of PSB funds by extending a commercial loan to Murdaugh knowing that the loan was essentially unsecured and that the loan proceeds would be and were used to pay an attorney and to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in Murdaugh’s overdraft.  And October 28, 2021, when Murdaugh’s law firm discovered that Laffitte had negotiated checks Murdaugh stole from a client, Laffitte paid the law firm $680,000 of PSB funds without notice to or consent from PSB in an attempt to settle the matter with the firm.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel presided over the trial and imposed an 84-month sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Gergel imposed a restitution judgment totaling $3,555,884.80 and ordered Laffitte to forfeit $85,854.73 in illegal proceeds.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting this case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Dominique Brand, 31, of Marion, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Thursday, August 3, for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder.

Brand was convicted following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022.  Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered Mary Ann Elvington’s home in Nichols, South Carolina.  At about 6:11 p.m. that Sunday, Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina.  During this trip, Mr. Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun. 

Later that evening, Brand drove Ms. Elvington to a remote crossroads in Marion County and walked her behind the abandoned Zion Grocery store.  He held the shotgun to the back of her head and pulled the trigger, executing her.  Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club.  Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening, March 29, 2021.  After learning he was a suspect, Brand turned himself in to authorities on March 31, 2021.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and will impose the sentence.  Brand faces a penalty of life imprisonment on each count.

WHEN:         Thursday, August 3, 2023, at 1:00 pm

 

WHERE:     McMillan Federal Building

                       Courtroom 1

                       401 West Evans Street

                       Florence, South Carolina

###

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Russell Lucius Laffitte, 53, of Estill, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, August 1.  Laffitte was convicted following a nearly three-week-long jury trial in November 2022 of conspiring with Hampton personal injury attorney Alex Murdaugh to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; and three counts of misapplication of bank funds. 

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel presided over the trial and will impose the sentence. 

WHEN:        Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 10:00 am

WHERE:      United States District Courthouse

                        Courtroom 6

                        85 Broad Street

                        Charleston, South Carolina

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Christopher David Jeffcoat, 42, and Kenneth Eddy Frye, 59, both of Lexington, have pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Jeffcoat and Frye—along with a third defendant, Jerry Lynn Cordell—were involved in distributing methamphetamine in Lexington County.  The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Team along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began an investigation of the men.  Using an undercover agent, they made methamphetamine purchases from the men on seven different occasions, buying amounts ranging from 50 grams up to over 200 grams at a time. 

Both men face a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and 4 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence both men after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. 

Cordell previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy and is also awaiting sentencing.

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 and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department NET team. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Enoch Palmer, 24, of Columbia, was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on February 20, 2022, an officer with the West Columbia Police Department performed a traffic stop on Palmer for driving without headlights. Palmer was the sole occupant of the vehicle, which was registered to him, and he was driving with a suspended license. Palmer was arrested for the license violation and law enforcement found a large quantity of marijuana underneath the driver’s seat of the car.

On April 24, 2022, Palmer, a member of a street gang, made a social media video threatening to retaliate against rival gang members after his involvement in an altercation. The following day, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) responded to a ShotSpotter alert on Millwood Ave and recovered 9 7.62x39mm shell casings. Through further investigation, CPD officers recovered surveillance video of Palmer leaning out of the driver’s side of a car while firing an Ak-47 style pistol across Millwood Avenue towards a group of people. Palmer shot a rival gang member in the upper body. The victim was released from the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Palmer to 160 months in prison, consisting of 60 months for marijuana charge and 100 months for the felon-in-possession charge, 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 West Columbia Police Department, City of Columbia Police Department, Midlands Gang Task Force, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar J. Fyall are prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Arma Victor Strong, III, 33, of Columbia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana.   

Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 8, 2021, a Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigator on surveillance in an unmarked car in a motel parking lot on Nates Road saw a person walk over to an occupied car and engage in a drug deal. As the person walked away from the car, the deputy saw and took a photo of what appeared to be narcotics in the person’s hand.

As the car left the area, the deputy radio’ed a marked patrol unit, which later conducted a traffic stop of the car on Two Notch Road after observing traffic violations. Due to the strong smell of marijuana coming from the car, the car was searched and a shoebox containing marijuana, pills containing methamphetamine, and cocaine was located in the backseat. Strong, the driver, admitted possessing the drugs and having distributed some earlier. 

Strong faced increased penalties based on prior felony state convictions for possession of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Strong to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 6-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

During the sentencing hearing, the Government also moved to estreat a portion of Strong’s surety bond, which was revoked last month after he violated conditions of release. The court granted the motion to estreat and ordered that 10% of the surety bond be estreated.

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 Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.

###

CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA — Sean Michael Taylor, 27, of Camden, was sentenced to 220 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing a quantity of fentanyl.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, on July 1, 2020, deputies with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office and other first responders from the Kershaw County Emergency Medical Services and Coroner’s Office responded to an apparent overdose at a residence in Camden. Responders located a victim who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim’s death was later determined to be caused by a fentanyl overdose.

On July 21, 2020, during a separate investigation, federal agents and officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (ACHIDTA) Task Force in Columbia used a confidential source to buy fentanyl from Taylor. During that exchange, Taylor admitted that he distributed the fentanyl that caused his friend’s death a few weeks prior, and even identified the victim by name.

Later, Taylor confessed to law enforcement that he first injected himself with a syringe containing fentanyl and then handed the victim the syringe containing the remaining fentanyl. Upon injecting the fentanyl, the victim immediately collapsed to the floor, unresponsive. Taylor and others present at the residence dragged the victim to another room, but no one could rouse the victim. Taylor left the residence without calling 911.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Taylor to 220 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the DEA ACHIDTA Task Force in Columbia, which was comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Department of Public Safety for the City of Orangeburg. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Bales is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) investigation. HIDTA is a grant program purposed with improving public safety and well-being by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through intelligence-driven multi-jurisdictional operations; enhancing the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations through training; and improving communication and information sharing among criminal justice, drug prevention, and drug treatment professionals in support of the objectives as administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.  Additional information can be found at https://www.achidta.org/, https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta, and https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/.

###

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Robin Lee Johnson, 51, of Greenville, was found guilty by a jury of six counts of uttering counterfeit securities.  Just two weeks ago, another jury found Johnson guilty of three counts of wire fraud. Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., presided over both trials and will sentence Johnson after the United States Probation Office prepares a presentence report.  Johnson faces a statutory maximum of ten years on the securities case and 20 years on the wire fraud case. 

Evidence presented to the jury during the first trial (July 11-12, 2023) showed that Johnson operated Global Staffing Solutions (“Global”), a business that purported to provide temporary employees to local companies.  Johnson sold Global’s accounts receivable, representing money due from providing the temporary employees, to Capital Business Funding, a local factoring company. Factoring is a financial transaction and a type of debtor finance in which a business (Global) sells its accounts receivable to a third party (Capital) at a discount. The invoice factoring company (Capital) seeks to collect on the invoices it has purchased.

It was a part of the scheme that Global did not actually provide temporary employees to multiple businesses; however, Johnson represented to Capital that Global’s accounts receivable were valid and legitimate. Capital received multiple fraudulent emails and other documents from Johnson indicating that the workers had been provided and that Global was due money from Capital based on the factoring arrangement. Before her scheme was uncovered, Johnson obtained $406,289.04 from Capital based on fraudulent documents submitted.  

Evidence presented during the second jury trial (July 26, 2023) showed that Johnson obtained and deposited six counterfeit checks totaling $185,533.16. The checks purported to be from National Funding, a lending company based in San Diego, California.  Johnson knew of National Funding because she was on its mailing list and received marketing materials with the company’s name, address, and business purpose.   The account number on the counterfeit checks belonged to a law firm in Ohio.   Johnson deposited four of the counterfeit checks in her Bank of America account and quickly dissipated the stolen funds through large cash withdrawals and transfers to other accounts.  Once the fraud was discovered, Bank of America stopped payment of the final two checks (totaling $75,000) and closed Johnson’s account because of fraud. 

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Marosek and Bill Watkins prosecuted both cases. 

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned an indictment charging a South Carolina man with three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of interstate travel in aid of racketeering and one count of obstructing a sex trafficking investigation.

According to the indictment, between August 2019 and August 2020, Aaron T. Simmons, 26, of Greenville, used force, threats of force and coercion to compel three adult women to engage in commercial sex. The indictment also charges Simmons with sex trafficking of a minor victim. 

Simmons will make his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of South Carolina. It is initially scheduled for July 28. If convicted of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, Simmons faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and up to life in prison. If convicted of sex trafficking of a minor, Simmons faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.

The Greenville Police Department and the FBI Greenville Field Office investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

The FBI is asking anyone with information about Aaron Simmons to contact the FBI Columbia Field Office at (803) 551-4200. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Matthew Leon Arotin, 63, of Pickens, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims whose images he possessed.

Evidence presented to the court showed that deputies with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip that child sexual abuse material was uploaded to a Google account. Investigation revealed that the account came back to an IP address associated with Arotin.  Pickens County deputies obtained a search warrant for Arotin’s home and learned that he was a registered sex offender based on prior convictions. When confronted by deputies, Arotin admitted he had various electronic devices and deputies would find inappropriate pictures of children on them. 

The devices were seized and forensically analyzed. Law enforcement discovered 1,334 still images and 135 videos of child pornography. Fourteen of the images and six of the videos featured sexual abuse of an infant or toddler.   

This case was investigated by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — William Allen Austin, 50, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 1, 2022, Austin drove to Pineville, NC, to stab his ex-girlfriend while she was at a new job orientation.  Surveillance footage captured Austin driving into and fleeing from the facility, and witnesses identified him. The victim of the attack had an emergency protective order against Austin because of repeated threatening and harassing conduct from Austin, including slashing her car tires, following her to a hotel, sending threatening messages, and throwing a brick through her house window.

Austin was subsequently arrested by the York County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service on March 3, 2022, for attempted murder related to the March 1 stabbing. At the time of his arrest, Austin possessed a 9mm Taurus pistol, which was loaded.  Federal law prohibits Austin from possessing firearms or ammunition due to numerous prior felony drug convictions.

After Austin was released on bond out of Mecklenburg County, evidence showed that on April 4, 2022, Austin set fire to the victim’s residence in Rock Hill, SC. Surveillance footage showed Austin parking on a street behind the victim’s residence and walking towards her house, before running back to his vehicle. Within minutes of Austin leaving the scene, smoke was visible on surveillance video. York County Fire Department responded to the victim’s home, which was severely damaged and deemed uninhabitable.

United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Austin to 188 months in prison to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The 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.

The case was investigated by the York County Sheriff’s Office, the York County Fire Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury has returned a 51-count indictment against nine current or former inmates in the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) and six other individuals who were either friends or relatives of the inmates for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The indictment alleges that, beginning in March 2020 and continuing through December 2020, nine SCDC inmates engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain various COVID-19 unemployment benefits administered through the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) and through Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, Missouri, Arizona, and California.

The indictment further alleges the defendants conspired and coordinated with other inmates and friends and relatives outside of SCDC to submit unemployment claims to SCDEW using the Personal Identification Information (PII) of both inmates in SCDC and individuals outside the prison system. 

The incarcerated inmates harvested PII, like social security numbers and dates of birth, from other inmates and used the PII to apply for COVID unemployment benefits in the names of those inmates as well as themselves. Some inmates provided their PII willingly in exchange for a portion of the proceeds derived from the unemployment benefits. Other inmates had no knowledge that unemployment benefits were being applied for on their behalf.

The incarcerated defendants also obtained the PII of unwitting individuals outside of SCDC using various extortion schemes. One of the primary schemes utilized by the defendants was known as “Johning.” Using contraband cellphones within SCDC, inmates posed as younger males or females and lured individuals to send them nude or compromising photos. After obtaining the photos, the inmates contacted the victims posing as law enforcement. The inmates then extorted the victims into sending them money and/or photos of their social security cards and driver’s licenses.

The non-incarcerated defendants received the unemployment benefits in the names of the extortion victims and SCDC inmates in the form of government checks and prepaid Visa debit cards.  They then used ATM withdrawals, wire transfers, and mobile banking applications to make the proceeds available to the incarcerated defendants.

In total, the indictment alleges the fraudulent scheme resulted in a loss of approximately $4,996,673.00 to the United States Government. 

The specific charges in the indictment are as follows:

• Reginald Raynard White, Jr., an SCDC inmate, faces twenty counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Christopher Ford, an SCDC inmate, faces one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;

• Marvin Lee Trotter, an SCDC inmate, faces two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Dawn Hall, of Kansas City, MO, faces ten counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Benika Kershaw, Chester, SC, faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Albert J. Cave, Jr., an SCDC inmate, faces one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Jason Andrew Cash, an SCDC inmate, faces eight counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Stepheno Lemain Alston, an SCDC inmate, faces seven counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• James Griffin, an SCDC inmate, faces five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• John Travis Mace, an SCDC inmate, faces four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Ronald Gene Harvey, an SCDC inmate, faces four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Bridgette Cash, of Landrum, SC, faces one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Latasha Alston, of St. Helena Island, SC, faces eight counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Lori Robinson, of Monroe Township, NJ, faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Jessica Howell, of Southport, NC,  faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Each alleged count of wire fraud and each alleged count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This investigation remains ongoing.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service; the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Office of Inspector General; and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case. 

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Raphiel Coleman, 35, of Columbia, was sentenced to over four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Richland County deputies were called to a store on Broad River Road concerning a man with a gun.  When they arrived, the deputies saw Coleman wearing the same clothing as described by the 911 caller.  The deputies ordered him to the ground, but he fled behind the store.  One deputy gave chase on foot and the other followed in the police car.  Eventually, they caught Coleman and during a search of him, they found one .357 caliber round of ammunition in his pocket.  With the help of a police dog, they retraced their steps and found a .357 caliber pistol on the ground in a bush.  Coleman subsequently admitted possessing the gun.  The police also found approximately 2 grams of marijuana in Coleman’s pocket.

Federal law prohibits Coleman from possessing a firearm and ammunition based upon prior convictions for burglary, possession of stolen vehicle, failure to stop for a blue light, intimidation of a juror or witness, possession of less than 1 gram of methamphetamine, and pointing and presenting a weapon.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Coleman to 51 months (4 years and 3 months) in prison, to be followed by a 3-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 and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Antonio Brown-Sanders, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraudulently applying for an Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the Coronavirus. Two primary sources of relief provided by the CARES Act were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. PPP loans consisted of more than $640 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for payroll, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities. The EIDL program provided low-interest loans to business owners to pay for items like accounts payable and other bills that could not be paid as a result of COVID-19.

Evidence presented to the court showed that that Brown-Sanders applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to receive an EIDL loan that fraudulently represented he owned a lawn care business.  The application submitted by Brown-Sanders also falsely represented the number of employees and gross income. Brown-Sanders received $81,600 from the SBA.

“The defendant in this case stole from American taxpayers and prevented pandemic-relief funds from reaching those who needed them most,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “The District of South Carolina is committed to pursuing and investigating those who defraud government programs.  We encourage any member of the public with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline.”

“The Secret Service is diligent in our investigation and pursuit of those who engage in fraudulent criminal activity. We appreciate the commitment from our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of Inspector General - Small Business Administration to see that justice is served,” said Resident Agent in Charge Ben Stafford of the Secret Service’s Charleston Resident Office. “This sentencing reflects the seriousness with which the government handles fraudulent crimes and should act as a warning to those who aspire to exploit government relief programs that are put in place to help those in need.”

“Those that use fraudulent documents to gain access to SBA programs funds will be met with justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Brown-Sanders to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered him to pay the restitution still due in the amount of $65,246.48.

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.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Office of Inspector General – Small Business Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Carl Ulm, 67, of Charleston, pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the Small Business Association (SBA) to receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Evidence presented in court established that Ulm applied to the SBA, through a third-party lender, to receive a PPP loan that contained materially false representations. At the time he applied for the loan, Ulm had sold the assets of his business, Anchor Restoration Contractors, LLC, to another entity. He therefore did not have payroll obligations or business expenses. The total amount of the PPP loan that Ulm received was $204,132.50. 

Ulm is subject to a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.00.  United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Ulm after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

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 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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- The Department of Justice, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina together with federal and state law enforcement partners, announced a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 78 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that included over $2.5 billion in alleged fraud.

The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and, in some cases, used the proceeds of the schemes to purchase luxury items, including exotic automobiles, jewelry, and yachts. In connection with the enforcement action, the Department seized or restrained millions of dollars in cash, automobiles, and real estate. 

“These enforcement actions, including against one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department, represent our intensified efforts to combat fraud and prosecute the individuals who profit from it,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.” 

“This nationwide enforcement action demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to fighting health care fraud and opioid abuse by prosecuting those who allegedly exploit patients and health care benefit programs for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement includes some of the largest and most complex cases that the Department has prosecuted, and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to seeking justice for those at all levels of the healthcare industry who put profits above patient care, from professionals in doctors’ offices to executives in corporate boardrooms.” 

“Health care fraud is a complex and ever-evolving threat that negatively impacts the American people,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s nationwide coordinated law enforcement action is a testament to the tenacity of the FBI and our partners, as well as our combined efforts to pursue anyone who conspires to exploit our health care system for financial gain.”

Telemedicine Fraud

The enforcement action included charges against 11 defendants in connection with the submission of over $2 billion in fraudulent claims resulting from telemedicine schemes. In a case involving the alleged organizers of one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted, an indictment in the Southern District of Florida alleges that the chief executive officer (CEO), former CEO, and Vice President of Business Development of purported software and services companies conspired to generate and sell templated doctors’ orders for orthotic braces and pain creams in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. The conspiracy allegedly resulted in the submission of $1.9 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers for orthotic braces, prescription skin creams, and other items that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. 

As part of the alleged conspiracy, individuals in a massive telemarketing operation, located in the United States and abroad, targeted the elderly and disabled with direct mail, television advertisements, and other forms of advertising to induce them to contact offshore boiler-rooms staffed by individuals who “up-sold” the elderly and disabled on unnecessary medical equipment and prescriptions. According to the indictment, the software platform that the defendants allegedly operated was actually a conduit for these telemarketers to coordinate the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain doctors’ orders for Medicare beneficiaries. The defendants allegedly programmed the software platform to generate false and fraudulent orders for telemedicine practitioners to sign and obstruct Medicare investigations by concealing that the interactions with beneficiaries had occurred remotely using telemedicine. The program-generated orders falsified certifications that the telemedicine doctors had examined the beneficiaries in person, and falsified diagnostic testing that Medicare required for brace orders. After the original CEO sold the company in a corporate acquisition, the new corporate leadership allegedly chose to continue the pre-existing fraud scheme.

In another telemedicine fraud case, in the Eastern District of Washington, a licensed physician was charged for signing more than 2800 fraudulent orders for orthotic braces, including for patients whose limbs had already been amputated. As alleged, the physician took less than 40 seconds to review and sign each order.

The cases announced build on earlier telemedicine enforcement actions involving over $10.1 billion in fraud. The April 2019 Operation Brace Yourself Telemedicine and Durable Medical Equipment Takedown—which originated in the District of South Carolina—alone resulted in an estimated cost avoidance of more than $1.9 billion in the amount Medicare paid for orthotic braces in the 20 months following that enforcement action, preserving the Medicare trust fund for necessary medical care.

“Patients trust federal health care programs to provide high quality care. When bad actors steal from these programs, they hurt patients,” said Inspector General Christi A. Grimm of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting federal health care programs and putting patients first. Thank you to our law enforcement partners, especially the Medicaid Fraud Control Units, that participated in this effort.”

Pharmaceutical Fraud

The enforcement action also included charges against 10 defendants in connection with the submission of over $370 million in fraudulent claims submitted in connection with prescription drugs. In one case announced, the owner and corporate officer of a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution company was charged for an alleged $150 million fraud scheme in which the company purchased illegally diverted prescription HIV medication, and then marketed and resold the medication by falsely representing that the company acquired it through legitimate channels. The defendant allegedly purchased the diverted medication at a substantial discount from individuals who obtained the drugs primarily through illegal “buyback” schemes in which they paid HIV patients cash for their expensive HIV medication and repackaged those pills for resale. To cover up their scheme, the defendant and others falsified labeling and product tracing documentation to make it appear legitimate. Pharmacies purchased the misbranded medications, dispensed them to patients, and billed them to health care benefit programs, all while the defendants reaped substantial illegal profits. 

In a related case, on June 15, an individual in the Southern District of Florida was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in this nationwide scheme. According to court documents, the defendant illegally acquired large quantities of prescription drugs from patients for whom the drugs had been prescribed but not yet consumed. The defendant and others then repackaged the drugs and sold them to wholesale companies. In some instances, the medication that the defendant sold contained the wrong medication, broken pills, and even pebbles, leading to complaints by pharmacies. The defendant used his share of the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, including a $280,000 Lamborghini, a $220,000 Mercedes, and three boats. 

Opioid Distribution and Other Types of Health Care Fraud

The charges also targeted over $150 million in false billings submitted in connection with other types of health care fraud, including the illegal distribution of opioids and clinical laboratory testing fraud. This enforcement action includes charges against 24 physicians and other licensed medical professionals who lined their own pockets, including doctors who allegedly put their patients at risk by illegally providing them with opioids they did not need. The charges also include cases where healthcare companies, physicians, and other providers paid cash kickbacks to patient recruiters and beneficiaries in return for patient information, so that the providers could submit fraudulent bills for Medicare reimbursement. 

“At DEA, we are committed to protecting the safety and health of all Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “When individuals divert addictive opioid medications for personal gain, they are knowingly putting Americans at risk, all too often causing harm and even death. DEA is committed to taking decisive action to hold accountable anyone who participates in these dangerous schemes.”

“CHAMPVA provides community health care to family members of our nation’s disabled or deceased veterans, and the defendants’ alleged criminal actions resulted in a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme that puts those benefits at risk and pilfers significant taxpayer funds,” said Inspector General Michael J. Missal of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “The VA-OIG’s continued oversight of VA’s multiple healthcare programs, including CHAMPVA, is one of the agency’s highest priorities. We thank our outstanding law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”

The Center for Program Integrity of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CPI/CMS) separately announced that it took adverse administrative actions in the last six months against 90 medical providers for their alleged involvement in health care fraud.

Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster and Acting Assistant Chief Rebecca Yuan of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section led and coordinated this enforcement action. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Strike Forces in Brooklyn, Dallas, Detroit, the Gulf Coast, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, and Tampa; the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response Strike Force; the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Ohio, District of South Carolina, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Washington, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and the State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting these cases, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of cases involved in this enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2023-national-hcf-court-documents.

In addition to the FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and CMS/CPI, State Medicaid Fraud Control Units, HSI, FDA, IRS-CI, VA-OIG, USPS-OIG, FDIC-OIG, OPM-OIG, Amtrak-OIG, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies participated in the operation.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

The Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas, and for further information for victims about new federal charges in connection with the HIV scheme, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-steven-diamantstein.

A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

 

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Peterson Jean-Baptiste, 23, of Palm Bay, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and placed on lifetime supervision for his role in disseminating child pornography. 

Evidence presented to the Court showed that, while on probation in Florida for a drug distribution conviction, Jean-Baptiste targeted teenage girls on Snapchat.  After establishing a relationship with his victims, Jean-Baptiste requested nude photographs.  Once in possession of nude images, Jean-Baptiste threatened to post the images on the internet if the victims did not provide more images.  Jean-Baptiste would then direct the victims on how to pose and forced some victims to involve an animal in the pictures.

This matter came to the attention of law enforcement when one victim informed her parents of the sextortion, and the sextortion was reported to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office began an investigation and requested assistance from the Department of Homeland Security once it became apparent that the crime involved multiple states. 

Law enforcement was able to locate the defendant in Florida, seize his mobile device, and search the device.  A search of the phone showed that the defendant regularly used FaceTime video to chat with young girls, and he had them film their bodies while he watched, usually only showing his forehead or part of his face. On one occasion he mistakenly showed his entire face, and this further confirmed the defendant’s identity. 

Two victims—one 14 years old and the other 15 years old—resided in South Carolina.  Additional images of young girls were found on the phone, but law enforcement did not have enough information to identify them. 

“Sextortion has been on the rise in recent years and presents an extreme danger to our children,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We are grateful to the young victim and parents that first reported this crime to law enforcement. We will continue to dedicate resources to identifying victims of this predatory conduct and ensuring that offenders face serious consequences for sextortion.”

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.

United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks presided over the case. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Gabriel L’Ambiance Ingram, 34, of Lancaster, and Carl Michael Mann, II, 41, of Rock Hill, were sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a large-scale drug operation operating in Rock Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina.  Ingram was sentenced to 260 months (21.66 years) and Mann was sentenced to 300 months (25 years) in federal prison after being convicted at trial.

Evidence presented during trial showed that the FBI and York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit began to investigate a group of defendants who were obtaining large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana from a distributor in Southern California.  Based upon their investigation, the police were able to determine that members of the group were flying to California and having the drugs shipped back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte area.  Based upon surveillance and other law enforcement techniques, the police learned that Darryl Hemphill was the leader of the group and helped introduce other members of the group to the California distributor.   Later, the group began ordering fentanyl from California, which they used to make fentanyl-laced pills which were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga. Based upon their investigation, law enforcement showed that this group shipped more than 255 packages from California and distributed more than 5 kilograms of cocaine,  280 grams or more of  crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana.

Evidence showed Mann was a member of the conspiracy and was involved in obtaining the pill press machines used by the conspirators, the dye, and stamps used to make the fentanyl-laced pills.  Mann would also operate the pill press machines for members of the conspiracy at different locations in Rock Hill and Charlotte.  He was paid by members of the conspiracy with some of the pills he made for them.  He was convicted at trial of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of heroin.  Mann was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine found during a search of his home.

Evidence also showed Ingram was a mid-level dealer who purchased illegal drugs from Hemphill and other members of the conspiracy and sold them to lower-level dealers and users of the illegal substances.  Ingram was convicted of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, and a quantity of heroin.  Ingram was also convicted of three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and four counts of possession with the intent to distribute illegal substances to include heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and crack cocaine.

Eighteen defendants were initially charged in this case.  Fifteen defendants pleaded guilty to their involvement while Mann, Ingram, and Darrell Crockett were found guilty by a jury.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Mann to 300 months in prison and Ingram to 260 months in prison.  Each will serve a term of court-ordered supervision following release from prison.  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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, Elliott B. Daniels, Elle E. Klein, and Lamar Fyall prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Leon Johnny King, 38, of Columbia, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that in June 2019, Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) narcotics investigators began investigating King for drug trafficking activity in the Columbia area. Investigators made a series of controlled buys of heroin from King, which led to investigators executing a search warrant at King’s apartment in July 2019. Investigators found a loaded .380 pistol and a quantity of heroin in a bag in King’s bedroom. After his arrest, investigators found a quantity of crack cocaine and more heroin on his person. Federal law prohibits King from possessing firearms or ammunition based on convictions for trafficking cocaine and autobreaking.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced King to 90 months in prison, 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 Richland County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Kendell Deion Pollock, 28, of Columbia, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on November 12, 2020, Columbia Police Department (CPD) officers were dispatched to investigate a robbery call in the Marlboro St. area of Columbia. Officers saw Pollock and another man riding in a car thought to be involved in the robbery, and they stopped the car. They searched the car due to a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car.

Officers found a 9mm pistol with a fully loaded 30-round ammunition magazine attached, nearly a quarter of a pound of marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia in the car. Pollock admitted to possessing the marijuana and pistol. Pollock had previous convictions for burglary and drug possession.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Pollock to 78 months in prison, 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 Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Janice A. Livingston, 30, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to nearly 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to making and presenting a false claim to the IRS and theft of government property.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that in 2020, Livingston submitted three false claims to the IRS for tax credit entitlements in the amount of $1,126,553.68 and submitted false documentation to receive individual unemployability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Livingston also made multiple false representations in applying for two Economic Injury Disaster Loans, which the Small Business Administration could provide to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Livingston to 20 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Livingston was ordered to pay $183,406.01 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 IRS and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Corey Xavier Baldwin, a/k/a “Core,” a/k/a “James Cory,” a/k/a “Kenny Womack,” 53, of Concord, North Carolina, has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Baldwin was one of 10 defendants charged in April 2014, following a series of court-authorized, DEA-monitored wiretaps over several telephones in the Columbia area. Six of the 10 defendants were arrested in April 2014, while four remained fugitives, including Baldwin. Baldwin was arrested in September 2022 by the United States Marshals Service in Concord. Two other fugitives were arrested in 2017 in Texas, and one was arrested in May 2022 in Brooklyn, New York.

The 2013 investigation revealed that a group of individuals in the Columbia area were obtaining heroin from various sources outside of South Carolina and then distributing it in the Midlands. Evidence indicated that the suppliers were initially getting the heroin in packages from India. Several packages destined for Columbia and containing heroin were intercepted by law enforcement during the investigation. Evidence further showed that the co-defendants later traveled to New York to obtain heroin and transported it back to Columbia where it was distributed. Baldwin, who came to Columbia in 2013 after serving time in Ohio for a 1994 aggravated murder conviction, was good friends with one of the leaders of the drug organization and assisted him by transporting money to New York during trips to obtain heroin. Baldwin also assisted in the distribution of heroin in the Columbia area.

Nine of Baldwin’s co-defendants earlier pleaded guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy here in South Carolina and were sentenced as follows: 

• Eric Shawn Bradley, of Columbia, was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release; 
• Michael Glover, of Columbia, was sentenced to 324 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release; 
• Jihad Salahadeen Pollard, of Columbia, was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release; 
• Kenneth Crawford, Jr., of Washington, D.C., and formerly of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release;  
• Charles Raheem Bradley, of Columbia, was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release; 
• Anthony Troy Glover, of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release; 
• Larry Grover Bookman, of Columbia, was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release; 
• Jessany Lyons, of Far Rockaway, New York, was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release; and 
• Dockim Deeshawn McKnight, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

The New York heroin suppliers were charged and convicted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York for their role in the drug conspiracy.

Baldwin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Baldwin after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

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.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) High Intensity Drug Task Force, which was comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The United States Marshals Service and the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force-Charlotte Office assisted in locating the four fugitives. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA ---- Trevor Raekwon Seward, 25, of Andrews, SC, was sentenced to life imprisonment along with a twenty year consecutive sentence after being convicted at trial for the murder of a federal employee in the course of her duties; use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; robbery; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute marijuana.  Jerome Terrell Davis, 31, also of Andrews, SC, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbery and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute marijuana.   

Evidence presented by the government at Seward’s trial and at Davis’ change of plea hearing established that on September 23, 2019, Seward and Davis were anticipating the delivery of two pounds of marijuana that had been shipped from California through the United States Postal Service.  Rather than deliver the package to Seward’s residence in Andrews, SC, mail carrier Irene Pressley placed a form in Seward’s mailbox stating that the authorized recipient would need to come to the post office to claim the package.  After Seward confronted Pressley minutes later and failed to get the marijuana package, he returned home. 

Shortly thereafter, Seward’s home surveillance showed him leaving his home armed with an AR-15.  Davis then picked up Seward and the two went in search of Pressley.  After determining where Pressley was on her mail route, Davis dropped Seward off on Senate Road in Andrews, SC.  Davis then left the area and a short time later, approximately one hour after she had left the form in Seward’s mailbox, Pressley was driving down Senate Road in Andrews, SC, when Seward fired approximately twenty rounds of from his AR-15 into the back of Pressley’s vehicle, striking her multiple times.  Seward then got into Pressley’s vehicle and drove approximately three miles away, where he left Pressley and her vehicle in a ditch on an access road to a hunt club.  While on the access road, Seward removed mail from Pressley’s vehicle and searched through packages for the package intended for his residence or any other items of value. The package of marijuana that had been shipped to Seward’s residence was later found on Senate Road where Pressley had been shot by Seward.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Seward to life imprisonment for the murder of Irene Pressley.  Seward was also sentenced to a 20-year consecutive sentence for using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, as well as concurrent sentences for the robbery, felon in possession of a firearm and marijuana conspiracy charges.  Judge Coggins sentenced Davis to the maximum possible sentence of 20 years for the robbery and 5 years for the marijuana conspiracy, with those sentences to be served consecutively for a total of 25 years. Davis’ prison sentence will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. 

“Every member of our community deserves to live, work, and play without fearing for their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “These sentences will never replace the loss of Irene Pressley.  But they represent the commitment of this office, and our law enforcement partners, to fighting violent crime, protecting federal workers, and keeping our communities safe.”

“No sentence can pay for the loss of a loved one, but we hope the justice served will bring some meaningful measure of closure to Irene Pressley’s family, friends, and colleagues,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The sentences issued show the strong determination of the US Postal Inspection Service to protect our employees and to work diligently to bring justice to criminals who assault or viciously attack them.  We are grateful for the collaborative investigative work performed by our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

“The senseless murder of Irene Pressley has had a profound impact on our community,” said Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen R. Gardner. “We are thankful that those responsible have now been held fully accountable for their actions and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work alongside the United States Postal Inspection Service and our other law enforcement partners to obtain justice for the Pressley family.”

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (“SLED”) and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Bianchi, Katherine Flynn and Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Caleb York Rowell, 29, of Swansea, and Brandi Leann Clarke, a/k/a “Brandi Savage,” 26, of Gaston, have each pleaded guilty to their roles in a drug conspiracy in which they sold firearms and drugs to confidential informants and undercover agents in the summer of 2021. Specifically, Rowell and Clark each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Rowell also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Rowell’s drug distribution in May 2021. During a recorded call with a confidential informant on May 11, 2021, Rowell bragged about running away from a traffic stop the day before that resulted in a wreck and how officers found his drugs and gun. ATF confirmed that the day before, Gaston Police Department had been in a car chase after they attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. That chase culminated in the driver wrecking the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Along the route where the driver fled, officers were able to locate a fanny pack containing bags of heroin and fentanyl, and they found a stolen pistol nearby. Through the recorded call and witnesses at the scene, officers were then able to identify Rowell as the driver.

Thereafter, between May and July 2021, law enforcement made a series of undercover purchases of firearms, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rowell and Clark. One of the firearms Rowell sold to the undercover agent was a short-barreled shotgun. Both Rowell and Clark are prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony convictions in state court. Rowell has prior state convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, failure to stop for blue light and siren, and driving under suspension 3rd offense, and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Clark has two prior state convictions for possession of methamphetamine.

Rowell faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison with a maximum of 40 years, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $5,000,000 on the conspiracy charge and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $2,000,000 on the distribution charge. On the felon in possession of a firearm and the possession of the unregistered short-barreled shotgun charges, Rowell faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 3 years, and a $250,000 fine.  Clark faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $2,000,000 on the conspiracy charge. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the duo after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

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) with assistance of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Gaston Police Department, Swansea Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Darrell Lemonte Crockett, 51, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted at trial in a large drug trafficking case.  

Evidence presented at the trial showed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit began to investigate a group of defendants who were obtaining large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana from a distributor in Southern California.  Based upon their investigation, the police were able to determine that members of the group were flying to California and having the drugs shipped back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte, N.C., area.  Based upon surveillance and other law enforcement techniques, the police learned that Darryl Hemphill was the leader of the group and helped introduce other members of the group to the California distributor.  Crockett was a member of the conspiracy and was involved in obtaining some of the packages when they were shipped from California back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte area.  After the drugs were shipped back to South Carolina, Hemphill and others distributed the drugs to local dealers.  Crockett was also responsible for distributing some of the drugs shipped. 

Later, the group began ordering fentanyl from California, which they used to make fentanyl-laced pills that were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, G.A.. Based upon their investigation, law enforcement showed that this group shipped more than 255 packages from California and distributed more than 5 kilograms of cocaine,  280 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana. 

Crockett was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, and 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.  Crockett was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaine during a drug deal at Hemphill’s home.

Eighteen defendants were initially charged in this case.  Fifteen defendants pleaded guilty to their involvement, and Crockett and two other defendants were found guilty by a jury.  Two defendants remain to be sentenced.         

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Crockett to 240 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, Elliott B. Daniels, Elle E. Klein, and Lamar Fyall prosecuted the case.

###

SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA — Lonnie Roosevelt Chamblee, III, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on May 13, 2021, a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol discovered a distribution quantity of marijuana and two semi-automatic pistols in Chamblee’s vehicle after stopping him for running a redlight. One of the firearms was equipped with a large capacity magazine. Chamblee has at least 12 prior criminal convictions dating back to 2011, including convictions for Distribution of Cocaine Base and Discharging a Firearm into a Vehicle While Occupied.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Chamblee to 96 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-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 South Carolina Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case.

###

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Trevor Seward and Jerome Davis are scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Thursday, June 22, 2023.   Seward is being sentenced after being convicted at trial for the murder and robbery of mail carrier Irene Pressley, which occurred after Pressley refused to deliver two pounds of marijuana to Seward. Davis is being sentenced after pleading guilty to his role in the robbery of Pressley. A press conference will be held at 4:00pm following Davis’ sentencing.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. presided over the trial and will impose the sentences.

WHEN:         Thursday, June 22, 2023, Seward at 9:30am and Davis at 2:00pm

 

WHERE:      McMillan Federal Building

                        Courtroom 1

                        401 West Evans Street

                        Florence, South Carolina

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jerry Ward Galloway, 47, of Lexington, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force located Galloway at a local hotel.  Galloway had an outstanding arrest warrant.  When the agents arrested Galloway, they saw several plastic bags in plain view.  The agents obtained a search warrant and during their search, they found a marijuana grinder, more plastic bags, a marijuana pipe, a scale, a glass jar containing marijuana and a firearm with three magazines.

Galloway was prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon convictions for burglary 2nd offense, financial transaction card theft, possession of crack cocaine, distribution of methamphetamine, 3 counts of manufacturing of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute heroin.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Galloway to 96 months (8 years) imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-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), United States Marshal Fugitive Task Force, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single count indictment against Zyquon DeAngelo Hudson, 23, and Ja’Vaughn Lonzell Brown, 22, both of Chester, South Carolina, for possession of a machine gun.

The indictment alleges that on June 24, 2022, Hudson and Brown were in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol that was modified with a “Glock Switch” or “Glock Auto Sear” which allowed the pistol to be fired as a machinegun.

Brown and Hudson face a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. 

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.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Chester County Sheriff's Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor 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.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Enrique Balcazar, 37, and Elizabeth Balcazar, 21,– both of Batesburg – and Balcazar Nature Harvesting, LLC (BNH) have been sentenced in federal court for labor trafficking, confiscating passports in connection with labor trafficking, and fraud in foreign labor contracting.

Evidence presented in Court indicated that Enrique Balcazar and his daughter Elizabeth Balcazar operated BNH, which provided seasonal agricultural labor to farms in the Lexington County area.  In early 2021, the defendants incorporated the business and obtained permission from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to recruit foreign national agricultural workers by promising it would provide particular work conditions for its workers. 

Elizabeth then travelled to Mexico and recruited 55 Mexican nationals to work for BNH in Lexington County in exchange for those same promises.  Each worker obtained an H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa that authorized them to lawfully work in the United States.  Elizabeth travelled by bus with the workers back to Lexington County, where she and her father brought the workers to a camp facility in Batesburg where they would live and work for BNH.  Enrique and Elizabeth confiscated the workers’ passports and visas the same day they arrived.

From April 2021 to December 2021, BNH subjected the workers to forced and exploitative labor.  Rather than the 40 hours of work per week promised, victims were made to work nearly twice that, and some weeks as many as 90 hours.  Because BNH only paid victim workers for 40 hours, the workers received no pay at all for a portion of their work.  BNH further failed to pay promised wages for the hours they did pay, and they engaged in illegal cost-shifting by requiring workers’ pay for transportation, visas, food, and work equipment. 

Workers were also made to work outside of the location BNH promised, and some mornings workers were woken at 3:00 A.M. or 4:00 A.M. to travel to a work site.   Workers were returned at 10:00 P.M. or 11:00 P.M., which is when they were provided dinner.  The defendants promised to provide three meals a day, but instead they provided two meals a day, for which BNH improperly deducted from worker paychecks.

Enrique used force and coercion to keep workers with BNH, including by threatening deportation, confiscating passports and visas, brandishing and discharging firearms, failing to provide medical care, placing locks on the outside of the facility where workers slept, and by posting armed guards at the camp facility.  Workers eventually began to escape and speak with victim service providers, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI).

In December 2021, a federal search warrant was executed at BNH, where agents seized 23 firearms, ammunition, body armor, at least 9 victim passports from BNH.  Following that search, service providers provided victim assistance and DOL investigated workplace conditions.

Federal charges were brought, and Enrique Balcazar pled guilty to Labor Trafficking in violation 18 U.S.C. § 1589 and Passport Confiscation in Furtherance of Labor Trafficking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1592.  Elizabeth Balcazar and BNH pled guilty to Fraud in Foreign Labor Contracting in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1351.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced the defendants, and at sentencing the Court heard from nineteen victims through written victim impact statements. 

Enrique Balcazar was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, $11,332.90 in restitution, 3 years of Court-ordered supervision to follow his term of imprisonment, he will be placed in immigration removal proceedings following imprisonment, and 23 firearms, ammunition, body armor, and more than $32,000 in funds were ordered to be forfeited.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Elizabeth Balcazar was sentenced to time served (two months), she was ordered to pay a total of $508,125.89 in restitution to 55 victim workers largely related to unpaid wages, plus 3 years of Court-ordered supervision, 1 year of a curfew, and 100 hours of community service at an organization that serves the immigrant community.

BNH was ordered to pay $508,125.89 in restitution to 55 victim workers, more than $32,000 in business funds were forfeited, and the business was sentenced to 3 years of probation. 

“Our office will not tolerate forced labor or the exploitation of foreign national workers in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “Human trafficking violates people’s most basic human rights, and the Department will continue to bring every resource we have to combat it. We thank our law enforcement and service provider partners for their critical work in this case.”

“Identifying and stopping those who are involved in labor exploitation not only protects workers from unjust and inhumane treatment, but also prevents unfair competitive advantages that harm the labor market,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “Hopefully, the results of this case will encourage others being exploited to come forward and seek help.”

“Victims of labor trafficking deserve justice. Our communities are safe when we show that labor trafficking will not be tolerated in South Carolina,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED will continue to work together with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as prosecutors and other community partners, so the people and businesses that look to harm and exploit these individuals will face consequences.”

“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes against workers, especially when employers prey on our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel.  “These victim workers traveled far from home to provide for their families and found themselves stripped of their dignity, freedom, and basic human rights.  The U.S. Department of Labor and its Wage and Hour Division are engaged in a battle to identify human trafficking, to end the misery it brings, and to hold those who callously engage in it accountable.”

The case was investigated by HSI, SLED, and DOL.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Carrie Fisher Sherard prosecuted the case.

###

Columbia, South Carolina --- St. Francis Physician Services, Inc., St. Francis Hospital, and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Inc., (collectively, “St. Francis”), owner and operator of the St. Francis healthcare system, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization in Greenville, South Carolina, has agreed to pay $36.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, the Federal Stark Law, and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) by making payments to orthopedic surgeons that were tied to the volume or value of referrals. 

The settlement resolves allegations that St. Francis caused the submission of false claims to Medicare and to TRICARE as a result of an unlawful contractual payment structure between St. Francis and Piedmont Orthopedic Associates (“POA”), whereby POA’s compensation was tied to the volume or value of the practice’s referrals to St. Francis. Specifically, it is alleged that St. Francis’s bonus payments to POA physicians violated both the Stark Law and the AKS.

“Medical providers should base health care decisions on what is best for the patient, and not on financial incentives and related schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We are grateful the relator brought these allegations forward. Relators are critical to identifying fraud and protecting the integrity of our Medicare system.”

The settlement resolves a lawsuit originally brought by a relator under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of this resolution, the relator will receive approximately $10.2 million of the settlement amount. The whistleblower in this case was represented by Bill Nettles and Fran Trapp of the Law Offices of Bill Nettles, and Bryan Vroon of the Law Offices of Bryan A. Vroon, LLC. 

The lawsuit resolved by this settlement is captioned United States of America, et al., ex rel. Lee v. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Inc., Case No. 6:18-cv-01932-DCC (D.S.C.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Shondel Antwan Crim, 48, of Columbia, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that Richland County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the home of a shooting victim.  The victim stated that she and Crim had stopped dating.  She saw him at a gas station, and they talked, and he tried to rekindle the relationship.  She declined and left the gas station.  Crim followed her and fired into her car at least 2 times striking her car.  An arrest warrant was issued for Crim. 

A week later, the police see Crim at another gas station and arrest him.  They found a 9mm Glock pistol in a holster inside his waistband.  A search warrant was issued for his house where they found 9mm ammunition along with a small amount of crack cocaine.

Crim was taken to police headquarters where he admitted that the gun found on him was the one, he had during the shooting.  Crim was prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon convictions for possession of crack, possession of a stolen car, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute in proximity of a school, possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine 2nd offense, and burglary 2nd offense.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Crim to 96 months (8 years) imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-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 Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Rondrell Sumter, 39, of Columbia, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and Possession of an Unregistered Short-Barreled Rifle.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on August 2, 2021, Richland County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Sumter’s residence. They recovered over 14 pounds of marijuana and three firearms, including 5.56mm American Tactical, model Omni-Hybrid, Multi-Caliber, short-barreled rifle.

The National Firearms Act (“NFA”) is a comprehensive scheme that regulates the manufacture, sale, and transfer of certain particularly dangerous and concealable weapons, and requires the registration of short-barreled rifles. Under the NFA, it is a violation of federal law to knowingly possess an unregistered short-barreled rifle. The rifle recovered at Sumter’s residence had not been registered. Further, federal law prohibits Sumter from possessing firearms due to his prior convictions, including four prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute or distribution of narcotics.

United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Sumter to 180 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The 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.

The case was investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.

###

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Christopher Michael Alexander, 32, of Gilbert, South Carolina, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity, to be followed by a lifetime of supervision and registration as a sex offender.

According to evidence presented in Court, on May 19, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Mount Pleasant Police Department participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders, where an officer posed as a 13-year-old female. That day, Alexander engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 13-year-old female as well as sent and requested sexually explicit photographs through various social media applications and text messages. Alexander ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the 13-year-old lived to engage in sexual activities with her. At that time, he was arrested.

Evidence presented in Court indicated Alexander made admissions to law enforcement that he previously engaged in numerous occasions of the sexual battery of minors. Alexander admitted that he had previously digitally penetrated at least 25 infants on hundreds of occasions as well as digitally penetrated another minor child approximately six times a day for weeks.  

Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Alexander to 23 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision, and Alexander will have to register as a sex offender after release. There is no parole in the federal system. 

The FBI, U.S. Secret Service, South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Mount Pleasant Police Department participated in the online chat operation. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

###

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Rahsaan Jackson Garth, age 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and ordered to pay over 2 million dollars in restitution for his role in defrauding farmers in a hemp business venture.

Evidence presented to the court showed that, after being released from federal prison in 2017 for his involvement in a health care fraud, Garth formed the company Verde Leaf and directed it.  Verde Leaf was supposed to address the challenges farmers faced in the hemp arena including license acquisition, hemp cultivation and processing, and industry knowledge. He solicited multiple farmers (in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia) to grow hemp for his company. 

On February 19, 2020, in the District of South Carolina, Verde Leaf held a workshop for potential farmers. During the workshop, Garth represented that Verde Leaf had distribution networks and deals with food companies, pet companies, and pharmaceutical companies. While Garth was in various stages of negotiations with many of these companies, he fraudulently represented that Verde Leaf had consummated these deals. 

Based in part on these knowing misrepresentations, farmers entered into contracts with Verde Leaf to grow hemp. Verde Leaf assisted these farmers with their hemp crops. However, Verde Leaf was unable to consummate the deals referenced at the SCDA meeting to distribute or sell products. Therefore, Verde Leaf was unable to process the hemp or pay most of the farmers for their crops and had to declare bankruptcy. As a result of the false statements that lured the farmers into doing business with Garth, the farmers suffered great financial harm.  

“The District of South Carolina is committed to prosecuting schemes that target South Carolina farmers and small business owners,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “We appreciate the hard work of the FBI and their continued efforts to investigate these crimes.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.

###

Columbia, South Carolina --- Daniel Allen Shannon, 43, an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, was sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. The court also held Shannon responsible for his role in orchestrating the 2019 murder of a Kershaw man as a part of this conspiracy.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Shannon used contraband cellphones to coordinate the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine throughout Lancaster and Kershaw counties. After coming to believe that one of his drug couriers had been robbed, Shannon sent his associates to retaliate, and a Kershaw man was shot and killed in September of 2019. Shannon then ordered his co-conspirators to burn the residence where the murder occurred and dispose of the victim, whose body was discovered discarded alongside a highway in Westville, South Carolina.

Prosecutors presented evidence that, in addition to the drug trafficking and violence described above, showed Shannon also engaged in a “sextortion” scheme while incarcerated.

“This case illustrates the extreme danger posed by the presence of contraband cellphones in our prisons,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We will not sit by as inmates use these phones to perpetrate violence, drug trafficking, sex crimes, and fraud, and will work with our federal and state partners to vigorously prosecute these offenders and protect the public.”

“This life sentence should serve as a warning, to anyone involved in heinous crimes such as the exploitation of children and drug trafficking, that you will be brought to justice and the punishment will be severe,” said Ronnie Martinez, special agent in charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “HSI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities by disrupting and dismantling criminal organizations involved in these destructive and deadly activities.”

“This is yet another example of prisoners using contraband cellphones from behind state prison fences to continue committing crimes,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the S.C. Department of Corrections.

At the time of his offense, Shannon was already serving a life sentence in the South Carolina Department of Corrections for the 2001 kidnapping, robbery, and murder of a Lexington restaurant manager.

Shannon was initially indicted on federal charges in February of 2022 and pleaded guilty in February of 2023.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Shannon to life in prison and recommended that he be incarcerated in one of two select high-security facilities within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  Shannon will be transferred to federal prison only if and when he is ever released from custody in SCDC. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Schoen and Ben Garner prosecuted the case.

###