District of South Carolina

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Five residents of Rock Hill, South Carolina, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to charges relating to a multi-state drug operation out of the Rock Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina, area.

• Darryl Hemphill, 35, was sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release;
• Mikie Marcell Caldwell, 41, was sentenced to 17 years to be followed by 10 years of supervised release;
• Drece Larod McMullen, 41, was sentenced to 11 years to be followed by 10 years of supervised release;
• Odarrius Breonte Adams, 39, was sentenced to 14 years and 3 months to be followed by 6 years of supervised release; and
• Dontavius Devar Jordan, 35, was sentenced to 11 years to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

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

Evidence presented to the Court 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.  Hemphill and Adams were leaders of the group and helped facilitate the other members’ travel to California.  Based upon the investigation, law enforcement was 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. After the drugs were shipped back, the group distributed the drugs to local dealers. This group shipped more than 255 packages containing the drugs from California during a one-year period and distributed more than five kilograms of cocaine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana.

The group used the fentanyl to make more than 1 million counterfeit Roxicodone pills, which were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Nineteen defendants were charged in this case. Sixteen defendants, including those listed above, pleaded guilty to their involvement. The remaining three defendants were convicted at trial in August 2022 and will be sentenced later.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the FBI, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William K. Witherspoon and Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA  - A former employee of the United States Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, has paid the United States $128,000 to resolve allegations that he stole money from the State Department while employed at the embassy.

Rafiq Goyushov, a citizen of Azerbaijan, was employed by the State Department at the United States Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, for approximately 20 years. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Goyushov, in his role as Housing Assistant with the General Services Office, made fraudulent payments on behalf of the Embassy to Azer Samedov, who then returned money to Goyushov.  These payments were for Goyushov’s benefit and were disguised as building operating and parking expenses for multiple residential units leased by Embassy Baku.  In reality, there was no valid contract between the State Department and Samedov. 

“The District of South Carolina was proud to partner with the Department of State in the worthwhile endeavor of holding accountable public servants who use their position to steal from taxpayers, even those who reside overseas,” stated Adair F. Boroughs, United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina. 

“Due to the persistent effort of our special agents, Embassy Baku’s Regional Security Office and DOJ, a former locally employed staff member of Embassy Baku was held accountable for his nefarious actions. This is a clear demonstration of how the State Department’s OIG will not be deterred by the complexities involved with holding fraudsters accountable internationally,” stated Elisabeth Kaminsky, Special Agent in Charge, Department of State, Office of Inspector General.

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Department of State Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Beth C. Warren in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, along with State Department OIG special agents.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina has implemented the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO). It provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate.

“The Department’s Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy creates specific incentives for corporate leaders to come forward with information about criminal wrongdoing within their companies,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “This is an important step forward for strengthening corporate citizenship and accountability.  As with the individuals we prosecute, there are benefits for those companies who take responsibility for their actions and try to make things right.”   

The goal of the policy is to standardize how VSDs are defined and credited by USAOs nationwide, and to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, to expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and to cooperate fully with the government in corporate criminal investigations. The policy was developed pursuant to the Deputy Attorney General’s September 15, 2022 memorandum, “Further Revisions to Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policies Following Discussions with Corporate Crime Advisory Group” (Monaco Memo), which directed each Department of Justice (DOJ) component that prosecutes corporate crime to review its policies on corporate voluntary self-disclosure and, if there was no formal written policy to incentivize self-disclosure, draft and publicly share such a policy.

Under the new VSD policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it becomes aware of misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the DOJ, and discloses all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to a USAO in a timely fashion prior to an imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. A company that voluntarily self-discloses as defined in the policy and fully meets the other requirements of the policy, by—in the absence of any aggravating factor—fully cooperating and timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct (including agreeing to pay all disgorgement, forfeiture, and restitution resulting from the misconduct), will receive significant benefits, including that the USAO will not seek a guilty plea; may choose not to impose any criminal penalty, and in any event will not impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) fine range; and will not seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.

The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met: (1) the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; (2) the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or (3) the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required; instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy, including that the USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% and up to a 75% reduction off the low end of the USSG fine range, and that the USAO will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.

In cases where a company is being jointly prosecuted by a USAO and another DOJ component, or where the misconduct reported by the company falls within the scope of conduct covered by VSD policies administered by other DOJ components, the USAO will coordinate with, or, if necessary, obtain approval from, the DOJ component responsible for the VSD policy specific to the reported misconduct when considering a potential resolution. Consistent with relevant provisions of the Justice Manual and as allowable under alternate VSD policies, the USAO may choose to apply any provision of an alternate VSD policy in addition to, or in place of, any provision of its policy.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Dakota F. Brown, 36, of Columbia, was sentenced to a total of 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and fentanyl, a quantity of methamphetamine, and a quantity of amphetamine while on federal supervision.  

Evidence presented to the court showed that on January 4, 2021, a Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputy conducted a traffic stop of Brown’s vehicle following a traffic violation. Brown, the driver, exited the vehicle and removed a fanny pack from across his chest, laying it in the driver’s seat before walking back to talk to the deputy. After deputies smelled marijuana, the vehicle was searched. The search revealed a loaded 9mm firearm, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and amphetamine within the fanny pack that Brown previously removed from his person. After waiving his Miranda rights, Brown admitted that the items were his and that he had bought the gun off the street in December. 

A ballistics analysis through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked the firearm to shell casings recovered from December 2020 shooting in Richland County. Local authorities have arrested another individual for that shooting and have no evidence linking Brown to the incident. 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.

Brown, who has been in custody since his January 2021 arrest, is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior felony state convictions, which include strong arm robbery, possession of crack cocaine, criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.  Additionally, at the time of this incident, Brown was on federal supervised release after serving a 108-month sentence from a 2011 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

United States District Court Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Brown to 96 months in prison, to be served consecutive to the 24-month sentence he received for violating his terms of supervised release. After completing his 120-month sentence, Brown will be on supervised release for 6 years.

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.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Marquis Jerome Pollard, 42, of Yemassee, South Carolina, was sentenced by the United States District Court in Connecticut to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm offenses related to an illegal gun trafficking operation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in the Spring of 2021, ATF Task Force officers learned that Pollard used straw purchasers to obtain firearms in South Carolina, and sold the firearms in Connecticut.  On April 19, 2021, investigators made a controlled purchase of a 9mm Glock handgun and a drum magazine from Pollard and Quinn Mooring in New Haven, Connecticut, in exchange for $1,500.  The firearm was one of five 9mm handguns that had been purchased by an individual at a pawn shop in Port Royal, South Carolina, in the month prior to the transaction in Connecticut.

On May 3, 2021, investigators surveilled the firearm purchaser as he picked up two additional handguns from the Port Royal firearm dealer and traveled to a restaurant parking lot in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he transferred them to Pollard.  When law enforcement attempted to arrest Pollard, he fled in his vehicle at a high rate of speed.  Pollard drove on sidewalks and over curbs during the pursuit, and was eventually apprehended in a residential neighborhood after abandoning his car and attempting to flee on foot.  Investigators recovered three firearms from his vehicle, including the two handguns that he received in the restaurant parking lot, and a loaded .40 caliber pistol with a 30-round magazine.

The investigation revealed that Pollard paid two separate straw purchasers to acquire at least 17 firearms for him.  In addition to the two handguns that were seized from Pollard’s vehicle and the 9mm handgun that investigators purchased from Pollard in New Haven in April 2021, five additional firearms have been recovered by law enforcement.  One was recovered from a felon in New Haven in June 2021; one was recovered from the scene of a shooting in Hamden, Connecticut; one was recovered after it was used in a shooting in New Haven; one was recovered from a juvenile in South Carolina after it had been used in multiple crimes; and one was recovered earlier this month in Hamden from an individual who was fleeing from law enforcement in possession of the firearm and a distribution quantity of crack cocaine.  Nine firearms have not been recovered.

Pollard’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Pollard was charged by indictments in both the District of Connecticut and in the District of South Carolina.  The South Carolina case was transferred to Connecticut for further prosecution.

Pollard has been detained since his arrest.  On October 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

On January 13, 2022, Mooring, of New Haven, pleaded guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon.  He awaits sentencing.

The individuals who purchased firearms for Pollard in South Carolina were charged and convicted in the District of South Carolina.

This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); West Haven, Connecticut, Police Department; New Haven, Connecticut, Police Department; Beaufort, South Carolina, Police Department; and Beaufort County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office.  These cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra J. Henderson in the District of South Carolina and Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman in the District of Connecticut.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — David Ruger, 44, of Long Beach, California, was sentenced to more than 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that over several years, Ruger was involved in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Ruger’s role in that conspiracy was as a methamphetamine source of supply for distributors in South Carolina. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ruger was attributed more than four kilograms of methamphetamine. 

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ruger to 87 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 investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — The United States Attorney's Office is sponsoring the 20th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) Logo Contest. The statewide contest welcomes students to illustrate how we can help prevent gun violence in our schools by designing a logo for use on upcoming PSN publications. The theme is “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools – Know the Signs.”

The contest is open to all South Carolina grade school students, including homeschooled students, and entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade. A winner will be selected from each of the four divisions, and each division winner will receive $50. An overall winning logo will be chosen from the four division winners and will receive an additional $50 prize for a total of $100.

The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. In addition to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, the United States Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the South Carolina Police Chiefs’ Association, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association for this year’s contest.

Entries should be consistent with the theme “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools – Know the Signs.” The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2023. If your student is interested in participating, contact your local school as contest information has been sent to all South Carolina schools. Applications and contest rules may also be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/programs/ceasefire/project-sentry/contest-winners/contest-rules.

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 contest is an important prevention initiative that has proven to be an effective way to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes among our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our schoolchildren.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp), one of the largest providers for clinical laboratory services, has agreed to pay $19 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by its submission of false claims to Medicare. 

The settlement resolves allegations that Labcorp caused the submission of false claims to Medicare as a result of Labcorp’s provision of phlebotomy services for patients whose health care providers were ordering laboratory testing from Labcorp, Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL), and/or Singulex, Inc. (Singulex) at a time when Relators allege Labcorp knew HDL and/or Singulex were paying health care providers process and handling fees as an inducement to refer patients to their laboratories. HDL and Singulex previously settled their civil liability with the government for a combined $48.5 million.

“Health care decisions should be based on what is in the best interest of the patient, and not on financial incentives and related schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The efforts of relators like Scarlett Lutz and Kayla Webster are essential to protecting the integrity of our Medicare system, and we thank them for bringing these allegations forward.”

The settlement resolves a lawsuit originally brought by Scarlett Lutz and Kayla Webster 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, Lutz and Webster will receive approximately $5.6 million of the federal settlement amount. The whistleblowers in this case were represented by Marc S. Raspanti and Pamela Coyle Brecht of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP; Stephen Shackelford, Jr. and Steven Shepard of Susman Godfrey, L.L.P.; and Beth B. Richardson of Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC. 

The lawsuit resolved by this settlement is captioned United States of America, et al., ex rel. Scarlett Lutz and Kayla Webster v. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Case No. 9:14-cv-3699-RMG (D.S.C.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Marek Cortez Brewer, Jr., 24, of Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and to possession of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking.

Evidence presented in Court shows that between February 2020 and February 2022, Brewer was in illegal possession of at least 5 firearms on 5 separate occasions, 3 of which were stolen firearms and several of which were used in other felony crimes such as attempted murders, shootings, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and flight from the police. 

First, on February 22, 2020, Brewer was arrested in Columbia with a 9mm pistol and drug trafficking tools – a digital scale, five plastic bags with marijuana inside, numerous empty plastic bags, and a plastic bag with pills.

Second, on November 14, 2020, Brewer was arrested again in Columbia with a stolen and loaded.40 caliber pistol and marijuana after Richland County deputies responded to an area following a report of 6 shots fired. 

Third, on January 11, 2021, Brewer was arrested in Fairfield County after taking S.C. Highway Patrol on a car chase that reached 125 miles per hour and crossed into two counties.  The vehicle Brewer was driving was stolen out of Cayce, and when Brewer fled on foot, he dropped a stolen and loaded 9mm pistol.  From jail, Brewer made a recorded call that he got into a “high speed” with a firearm and that he was going to have to go “back up the road,” but that he was “not even mad.”  An ATF forensic investigation determined the firearm recovered from this incident was used in a shooting on Assembly Street in Columbia on December 8, 2020, about one month before it was recovered from Brewer.  

Fourth, on May 18, 2021, Brewer was arrested in Columbia for his alleged involvement in the armed robbery of a firearm from a victim.  In that robbery, three armed males approached the victim and told him to empty his pockets and hand over the “thing.”  A firearm was in the victim’s pocket.  The victim handed over the firearm and fled, and as he did, shots were fired. When Brewer was arrested on this date, he was found with the .40 caliber pistol stolen from that victim.

Fifth, on February 26, 2022, Brewer was arrested again in Columbia for his alleged involvement in the shooting of two victims – one in the back and one above the left eye – from a vehicle travelling on River Drive in Columbia.  Brewer again took the police on a chase that exceeded 100 miles per hour before he was arrested with suspected narcotics, a digital scale, $900 in U.S. currency, and a 9mm pistol. 

Evidence presented in Court also indicated that Brewer is affiliated with a documented street gang.

Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Brewer to 15 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) as well as the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), who conducted firearm and shell casing forensic examinations.  Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.

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.

As for the forensic examination of the firearm and shell casings, this case relied on  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.

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FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — The sentencing of Dominique Brand, 31, of Marion, 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 has been rescheduled.

WHEN:         Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 10:00 am

WHERE:      McMillan Federal Building

                        Courtroom 1

                        401 West Evans Street

                        Florence, South Carolina

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jonathan Reece Scarborough, 36, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of child pornography.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on September 25, 2019, the North Charleston Police Department was contacted regarding a 10-year-old prepubescent female victim who had reported being sexually abused by Jonathan Reece Scarborough.

During the investigation, law enforcement officers obtained and executed search warrants at Scarborough’s residence in North Charleston, his cell phone, and his laptop. Computer forensics examiners searched Scarborough’s cell phone and laptop and found images and a video of him sexually abusing the minor female victim. The examiners also found hundreds of child pornography images Scarborough obtained from the internet, including images of prepubescent and pubescent minors being sexually assaulted by adults.

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Jonathan Reece Scarborough to 360 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Charleston Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.

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Charleston, South Carolina --- Two Jamaican nationals – Rojay Lawson, 24, and Theresa Lawson, 53 – were each sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to their roles in a fraudulent lottery scam that targeted elderly victims around the country.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that, as part of the scheme, the defendants, or their co-conspirators, would contact elderly victims and falsely inform the victims that they had won a sweepstakes.  The supposed prizes in these sweepstakes usually consisted of millions of dollars, a new vehicle, or other valuable items.  The defendants and their co-conspirators would tell the victims that they needed to pay bogus fees and/or taxes in order to collect their purported winnings.

The defendants and their co-conspirators would direct the elderly victims where to send the bogus fees and/or taxes.  Evidence showed victims purchased prepaid cards, USPS money orders, or bank money orders; mailed cash or personal checks; or made wire deposits into the defendants’ bank accounts. The defendants in turn wired the fraudulent funds to co-conspirators in Jamaica.  The defendants received more than $700,000 from the victims they targeted. At least 175 victims suffered a loss as part of the scheme.  Approximately 70 victims were over the age of 80.  The oldest victim was 96 years old.

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced both Rojay Lawson and Theresa Lawson to 78 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, in the event they are not deported upon release. There is no parole in the federal system. The defendants were also ordered to pay $405,401.00 in restitution. 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Amy Bower prosecuted the case.

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Florence, South Carolina ---- Jerome Terrell Davis, 30, of Andrews, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the robbery of a United States Postal Service mail carrier and his role in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy.   

Evidence presented by the Government at the change-of-plea hearing established that on September 23, 2019, Davis and his co-defendant Trevor Raekwon Seward 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, 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.   

Shortly thereafter, Seward left home armed with an AR-15.  Davis then picked Seward up and they began searching for Pressley.  Davis ultimately dropped Seward off on Senate Road in Andrews, where Seward fired approximately twenty rounds 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. 

A jury in United States District Court previously convicted Seward of first degree murder, use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and conspiracy to traffic marijuana for his role in the murder and robbery of Pressley.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins accepted Davis’ plea and will sentence Davis after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.  Davis faces up to twenty years in prison for the robbery of Pressley and up to five years in prison for the marijuana conspiracy conviction.

“Our office is committed to holding violent criminals accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “Our mail carriers are increasingly becoming targets around the country, and we are grateful for the work done by our federal and local partners, particularly the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, in their efforts to bring justice to the individuals responsible for the robbery and murder of Irene Pressley.”

“The guilty plea by the defendant sends a strong message that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and our partners will work tirelessly to bring justice against individuals responsible for causing harm to our Postal employees,” said Tommy D. Coke, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division.  “Irene Pressley was a dedicated public servant in her community.  I want to sincerely thank our partners for their support and commitment in identifying and holding accountable the individuals involved in this case to the full extent of the law.”

“The robbery and murder of Irene Pressley was a truly senseless act of violence,” said Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen R. Gardner.  “With the guilty plea entered by Mr. Davis and the jury’s conviction of Mr. Seward, we are pleased that the individuals who committed such a malicious crime will be held accountable for their actions.”

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

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Patricia Ann Hemphill, 51, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison after pleading guilty relating to a multi-state drug operation out of the Rock Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina area.

Evidence presented to the Court 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 the investigation, law enforcement was 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. After the drugs were shipped back, the group distributed the drugs to local dealers. This group shipped more than 255 packages containing the drugs from California during a one-year period and distributed more than five kilograms of cocaine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana.

The group used the fentanyl to make more than 1 million counterfeit Roxicodone pills, which were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Evidence showed that Hemphill allowed her son to use her house in distributing some of these drugs to others in the area.

Nineteen defendants were charged in this case. Sixteen defendants, including Hemphill and her son Darryl Hemphill, pled guilty to their involvement. The remaining three defendants were convicted at trial in August 2022 and will be sentenced at a later date.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Hemphill to 36 months imprisonment, 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 an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the FBI, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - A five-count federal indictment was unsealed charging two South Carolina men with hate crime and obstruction offenses, arising from the murder of Dime Doe of Allendale, South Carolina.

The indictment charges Daqua Ritter, 26, with a hate crime for the murder of Doe, a transgender woman, because of her gender identity; using a firearm in connection with the hate crime; and obstruction of justice. The indictment also charges Xavier Pinckney, 24, with two obstruction offenses for providing false and misleading statements to authorities investigating the murder.

The indictment alleges that on Aug. 4, 2019, Ritter shot Doe, a transgender woman, because of her actual and perceived gender identity. The indictment further charges Ritter with misleading state investigators about his whereabouts the day of the murder. The indictment also alleges that Pinckney concealed from state investigators the use of his phone to call and text Dime Doe the day of the murder and lied to state and federal investigators about seeing Ritter after the morning of the murder.

The hate crime count against Ritter carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The counts charging Ritter and Pinckney with obstruction of justice carry a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. The count charging Pinckney with lying to federal investigators carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment.

The FBI’s Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA ---- Trevor Raekwon Seward, 25, of Andrews, SC, was convicted following a multi-day jury trial of all five counts charged: 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.   

Evidence presented by the Government at trial in the case established that on September 23, 2019, Seward was 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. 

Seward left home shortly thereafter armed with an AR-15 in search of Pressley.  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 presided over the trial and will sentence Seward after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report that will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.  Seward faces a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment for the murder of Pressley. Seward also faces up to life imprisonment for the use of firearm in furtherance of Pressley’s murder; up to twenty years imprisonment for the robbery of Pressley; up to ten years for illegal possession of a firearm; and up to five years imprisonment for the marijuana conspiracy conviction.

“The prosecution of violent crime is a priority for our office, and that is especially true when the victim of that violence is a federal employee murdered for doing her job,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “We are grateful for the work done by our federal and local partners, particularly the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, in their efforts to bring justice for such a senseless act of violence.”

“This conviction demonstrates our commitment to ensure that all USPS employees can work and serve the public without having to endure an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will utilize all of our resources and work in collaboration with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold individuals responsible that threaten a safe work environment for our employees,” said Tommy D. Coke, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the Pressley family, and we are thankful for the assistance from those who helped to ensure the defendant was held accountable for the senseless act of violence against Irene Pressley.” 

“We are committed to bringing anyone who commits crimes of violence in Williamsburg County to justice,” said Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen R. Gardner. “We are thankful for the jury’s decision in this case to hold Trevor Seward responsible for his murder of Irene Pressley, a murder committed because she refused to deliver two pounds of marijuana to him.”

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 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 are prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- Seven individuals have been sentenced after pleading guilty for their roles in a kickback conspiracy to enrich themselves at the expense of the United States and beneficiaries of federal health insurance programs. 

Evidence presented to the Court showed the kickback scheme generally operated as follows:

• Durable Medical Equipment Companies (“DME Companies”) entered into agreements with marketing companies and/or call centers to purchase completed product orders, sometimes referred to as “leads.”   

• These completed product orders included patient information and signed prescriptions for durable medical equipment.  

• Marketing companies and/or call centers entered into agreements with telemedicine companies to obtain the signed prescription and the telemedicine companies contracted with physicians, often referred to as “telemedicine physicians.”   

• The telemedicine physicians involved in the kickback conspiracy would often sign the prescriptions of the federal health insurance program beneficiaries without ever speaking to, examining, or following up with the patients.  The telemedicine physicians did not have patient/healthcare professional relationships.   

• The DME companies would pay the marketing companies and/or other call centers on a per-prescription basis.  The DME companies would then take prescription and patient information and submit or cause to be submitted claims, or bills, to federal health insurance programs.  

• To disguise the arrangement between the marketing companies/call centers and DME companies, the marketing companies/call centers sent invoices to the DME companies that disguised the fact that what was being purchased was a signed prescription and patient information.  

• The scheme used drop ship companies to process the orders and ultimately ship the DME products to the beneficiaries. These dropship companies were paid by the DME companies participating in the scheme.

The individuals sentenced were involved in the kickback conspiracy as owners of the marketing companies or call centers, owners of the dropship companies, telemedicine physicians, or owners of the DME companies billing the federal health insurance programs. 

The following individuals have been sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr.:

1. Henry Barton was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Barton was also ordered to pay $1,850,000.00 in restitution.  
2. David Tsui was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  Tsui was also ordered to pay $1,003,300.00 in restitution.  The dropship company Tsui owned was ordered to pay a $400,000 fine.  
3. Jeffrey Hoffman was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Hoffman was also ordered to pay $238,150.00 in restitution.  
4. Steve Lowell was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  Lowell was also ordered to pay $919,548.00 in restitution. 
5. Christina Anderson was sentenced to 3 years’ probation, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  Anderson was also ordered to pay $14,863.00 in restitution.  
6. Kathryn VanRavenstein was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, 8 months of which will be on home detention, and ordered to pay $46,250.00 in restitution.  
7. John Hynes was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, 180 days of which will be on home detention, and ordered to pay $39,925.00 in restitution.

These sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Inspector General – Veteran Affairs, and the Office of the Inspector General – Health and Human Services, specifically Special Agent Ryan Schubert.  Assistant United States Attorney Amy Bower prosecuted the case for the District of South Carolina. 

These sentences are the result of a national case spearheaded by the District of South Carolina that led to prosecutions in several federal districts around the United States. The case was prosecuted in conjunction with the Department of Justice Healthcare Fraud Strikeforce. 

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GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Cornelius Mayberry, 41, of Gaffney, was sentenced to more than 34 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a law enforcement officer, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Brandy Scates, 37, also of Gaffney, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on May 3, 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sting operation at a motel in Cherokee County and arrested Mayberry with two kilograms of methamphetamine. A search of Mayberry’s residence revealed another kilogram of methamphetamine, a bag of fentanyl, three firearms, and ammunition. Mayberry was initially charged by the State and made bond.

On August 27, 2018, a Homeland Security task force officer and a Cherokee County captain were conducting surveillance in the case and made a traffic stop of a vehicle Mayberry was driving. The task force officer advised Mayberry that Mayberry had outstanding federal warrants. Mayberry resisted arrest and struggled against the task force officer. The captain crawled into the back of the SUV, attempting to restrain Mayberry from behind. Mayberry drove the SUV forward, with the task force officer’s torso in the driver’s side window, and knocked the captain out of the SUV on to the ground. The vehicle hit a ditch and flipped onto the task force officer, crushing his legs. 

Mayberry climbed out of the flipped SUV—stepping on top of the pinned task force officer—and began to fight the captain. The captain was able to put Mayberry in handcuffs but had to release Mayberry to call for help for the task force officer, who was still pinned and significantly injured under the SUV. Mayberry came into federal custody on April 4, 2019, and he has remained in custody since.

Evidence presented to the Court regarding Brandi Scates showed that in 2018, Scates conspired with Mayberry to distribute methamphetamine and was found in possession of 196.8 grams of methamphetamine on August 21, 2018.

“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, and we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Those who put them in harm’s way in the course of committing other crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are grateful to HSI and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their work in bringing these defendants to justice.”

“This verdict sends a strong message, that those who sell and distribute this poison in our communities or target law enforcement officers will be held accountable,” said Ronnie Martinez, special agent in charge of HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “Thanks to the great work of the agents and officers involved in this case and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our community is much safer.”

“This is a great example of a partnership between local and federal agencies working together to remove major distributors of illegal narcotics from our neighborhoods,” said Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller. “These career drug dealers will no longer have the ability to push poison on our streets after receiving these lengthy prison sentences. We are grateful for the work of all involved to help secure the lengthy prison sentences, which should send a message to others in our community who choose to push poison on our streets: you could be next.”

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Mayberry to 414 months in prison, to be followed by court-ordered supervision. Judge Hendricks sentenced Scates to 120 months in prison, to be followed by court-ordered supervision.   There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — In recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina affirms its continued commitment to work with federal, state, and local partners to combat human trafficking in all its forms. 

“Human trafficking is an assault on the dignity and freedom of the men, women, and children who fall victim to it,” said United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office – along with our federal, state, and local partners – remains committed to making our state a more dangerous place for traffickers to operate and a safer place for trafficking survivors.  We thank the law enforcement agencies and service providers who partner with us, and we look forward to continuing in this work.”

In the past year, the United States Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of its law enforcement partners, prosecuted the following noteworthy cases:

United States v. Robinson, Crim. No. 2:21-cr-211-RMG.  Brian Lydell Robinson, from Charleston, was convicted of extorting a victim for money and sex and for impersonating a federal law enforcement officer.  He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision.  According to evidence presented in court, Robinson threatened the victim by telling her that she would be prosecuted, which would ruin her reputation, unless she assisted in an undercover operation against an alleged sex trafficker who was, in fact, Robinson.  In truth there was no investigation, and Robinson used the scheme to extort money and sex from his victim by posing as the trafficker under investigation, the investigator, and a defense lawyer.

United States v. Watson et. al. , Crim. No 3:20-cr-492-JFA.   Brian Leroy Watson, a/k/a “Lil B,” of Blythewood, was convicted of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.  Numerous witnesses told the FBI that Watson manipulated the withdrawal symptoms and drug dependence of women to obtain commercial sex for his financial gain.  When a victim disclosed to law enforcement that Watson sexually assaulted her, he denied it, and instead said he was prostituting her.  Advertisements linked to Watson’s phone provided evidence that he was advertising the victim while she was a minor.  Evidence demonstrated Watson knew the victim was a minor. Watson’s sentencing is pending and he faces up to Life in prison.  His co-defendant, Ryan Darian Grover, was convicted of human trafficking conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.

United States v. Grow et. al. , Crim. No. 4:21-cr-173-SAL.  In this multi-defendant case that stretched across multiple states, four defendants were convicted of sex trafficking of minors and related offenses.  The defendants included three from the Myrtle Beach area.  According to evidence presented in court, the lead defendant, Hart William Grow, communicated with at least 23 minors in this scheme where he gained the trust of minor victims online by purporting to be interested in a relationship.  Grow forced minor victims to produce sexually explicit photos and videos with adult men, after which Grow would collect the files.  His victims were in Columbia and Myrtle Beach, along with others in South Carolina and across the country. Grow was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison and co-defendant Theodore Woolings Bye received a sentence of 24 years, both to be followed by lifetime supervision by the federal court.  

United States v. Thomas, Crim. No. 4:21-cr-554-SAL.   Johnny Ricardo Thomas, from North Carolina, was convicted of coercing 15- and 16-year-old minors to engage in prostitution in the Myrtle Beach area.   According to evidence presented, Thomas knew his victims were minors, and he would threaten one minor victim that he would sell her, slice off her toes, or something worse if she did not participate in commercial sex.  Thomas was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison to be followed by lifetime supervision. 

United States v. Garland et al., Crim. No. 8:20-cr-0452-SAL.  Following the conviction of eight defendants on sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of a minor charges – two lead defendants and six customers – Gary Garland and Shannon Garland, a husband and wife from Anderson, were sentenced to 35 years and 26.5 years in federal prison respectively, to be followed by lifetime supervision.  The lead defendants forced two minor victims to participate in more than 300 commercial sex encounters, provided illegal drugs to the minor victims, and made their victims completely dependent on the Garlands for survival. Other participants in the sex trafficking conspiracy were also sentenced to prison time.

United States v. Balcazar et al.,  Crim. No. 3:21-cr-834-SAL.  In this labor trafficking case, a father, daughter, and their labor contracting business, all from Lexington, were convicted of forced labor, fraud in foreign labor trafficking, and confiscation of passports related to labor trafficking. According to evidence presented in court, the defendants enticed seasonal agricultural workers from Mexico to work on South Carolina farms through false and fraudulent pretenses.  Once the victim employees arrived in South Carolina, they were subject to high levels of control, passport confiscation, underpayment, and inadequate housing conditions. The defendants are awaiting sentencing.

United States v. Jones, et. al. , Crim. No. 3:22-cr-726-SAL.  A federal grand jury in Columbia indicted Eric Rashun Jones, a/k/a “E Dolla,” a/k/a “E,” from Newberry, and Brittany Danielle Cromer, from Greenville, on multiple sex trafficking charges involving numerous victims.  The grand jury also charged defendants with human trafficking conspiracy, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and witness tampering for interference in the human trafficking investigation.  Jones is detained pending the outcome of the case, and both defendants face up to life in prison. All charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

To report a tip or ask for help, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jason Dwayne Holley, 40, of Greenville, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that Holley was released from federal prison on August 30, 2022, after serving a sentence for possession of child pornography. Within a matter of weeks, the U.S. Probation Office found that Holley possessed two images of child pornography on his phone and was conducting searches on his phone for child pornography. A warrant was issued, and Holley was arrested on September 26, 2022 – less than one month from his release from prison.

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Holley to 60 months in prison, to be followed by a life term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jonathan McKinney Rion, 60, of Woodruff, SC, and Charlotte, NC, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor for sexual activity and false statements to the FBI, to be followed by a lifetime of supervision and registration as a sex offender.

In March 2021, according to evidence presented in Court, 58-year-old Rion enticed a minor boy into sexual conduct.  He met the victim through an online social media application.  Through an internet-based cell phone application, Rion arranged to travel from Charlotte, NC, to the Columbia, SC, area to pick the minor up and to take him back to Charlotte.  In North Carolina, he sexually abused the minor and provided him with money and gifts.

In April 2021, Rion then spoke with who he was told was a 14-year-old minor two school grades younger than his previous victim.  In truth, Rion was speaking to an undercover FBI agent.  Rion attempted to recruit the purported 14-year-old to travel to his residence in North Carolina or to a hotel in South Carolina, where Rion intended to give the minor gifts or money in exchange for sex.

Evidence also indicated Rion had exploited as many as 6 minor victims between 2018 and 2021, many of whom he met online. Rion provided money, gifts, a place to stay, and other things of value; in exchange, he sexually abused the victims.  He also obtained explicit photos and videos of the minor victims, and some victims reported non-consensual sexual contact. 

When approached by the FBI, Rion falsely denied engaging in sexual contact with one victim, and he falsely claimed that he did not engage in any sexual conversations with minors.  Evidence also indicated Rion had made false claims to a state court related to one victim.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Rion to 14 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision, and Rion will have to register as a sex offender after release.  The Court also ordered restitution be paid to one victim.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

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 (FBI) and the Lexington (SC) Police Department, with assistance from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.

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FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Three defendants – all of whom were U.S. Postal Service employees during this alleged fraud scheme – have been charged in the District of South Carolina for their alleged roles in a fraud scheme related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). 

The scheme involved as many as 400 fraudulent PPP loan applications, the majority of which were for applicants in South Carolina.  The indictment alleges the scheme resulted in more than $1 million in fraudulently obtained PPP loans, and according to evidence presented at the defendants’ bond hearing, that figure may be as high as $8 million. 

The indicted defendants are:

• Tiffany McFadden, 40, a former U.S. Postal Service employee from Brooklyn, New York, and Port St. Lucie, Florida;
• Cherry Lewis, 43, a U.S. Postal Service employee from Johnsonville, South Carolina; and
• Keisha Lewis, 33, a U.S. Postal Service employee from Hemingway, South Carolina.

The indictment alleges that the defendants were part of a national scheme, led by McFadden, that fraudulently acquired PPP loans. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic.

McFadden, according to the indictment, created false and fraudulent PPP loan applications by obtaining the personal identifying information (PII) of putative PPP loan applicants.  She used that information to create tax documents and other paperwork related to non-existent businesses.  McFadden then submitted that information to SBA-approved lenders, and the loan recipients received PPP loans they were not entitled to. In exchange for her services, McFadden would receive a portion of the funds. The indictment alleges that McFadden would also assist in getting the loans forgiven through the SBA.

Cherry Lewis and Keisha Lewis, as alleged in the indictment, assisted McFadden in the scheme.  They requested and received blank and fillable tax forms from McFadden, which they used to assist others in completing fraudulent PPP loan applications.  The indictment further alleges that both Cherry Lewis and Keisha Lewis also personally obtained at least one fraudulently obtained PPP loan.

The defendants were arrested by the U.S. Secret Service on January 6, 2023.  That same day, they were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West at the federal courthouse in Florence, South Carolina, and released on bond pending trial.

“Any member of the public who has information related to this scheme is encouraged to contact the U.S. Secret Service,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “PPP loans were intended to help businesses survive unprecedented challenges. Every dollar stolen from this program was stolen from taxpayers and legitimate businesses in need of support. This office takes pandemic-related crime seriously and stands ready to prosecute such fraud in all its forms.”

Any member of the public who has information related to this scheme is encouraged to contact the Columbia, South Carolina, field office of the U.S. Secret Service at 803-772-4015.

Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, fines, and restitution.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Small Business Administration, the Florence County Sheriff's Office, and the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Winston Marosek, who also serves as the Office’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, are prosecuting the case.  A copy of the indictment is attached.

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.

U.S. Attorney Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 3-count indictment against Jamie Adolfo Gonzalez-Farias, a/k/a “Father Gonzalez,” a/k/a “E,” 67, a former South Carolina priest, for the alleged sexual abuse of an 11-year-old minor.

The indictment charges three counts: Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Aggravated Sexual Abuse with a Child.  The Grand Jury also identified Florida state statutes of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation and Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition as implicated by Gonzalez-Farias’s conduct.

The indictment alleges that Gonzalez-Farias has been ordained as a Priest since at least 1990, and that he has held various positions in the churches in which he served, including Pastor, Parochial Vicar, Administrator, Chaplain, and Priest.  The indictment further alleges that Gonzalez-Farias began serving in South Carolina in 2015, and that he sexually abused a minor to whom he had access by virtue of his service as a Priest.

As indicated on the public docket (Criminal No. 3:22-cr-874), Gonzalez-Farias was arrested in Miami, Florida, on November 28, 2022, and placed in the custody of the United States Marshals.  On January 9, 2023, he made his initial appearance in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina.  At that hearing, the Government requested the defendant remain detained, and Gonzalez-Farias elected to not request a bond at this time.  United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges ordered that Gonzalez-Farias remain detained pending trial.

Gonzalez-Farias faces a mandatory sentence of at least 30 years in federal prison and a maximum of Life on the Aggravated Sexual Abuse With a Child count.  He faces a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years and a maximum of Life on the remaining counts.  He also faces fines of up to $250,000, a $5,000 special assessment, mandatory restitution payable to any victims, court-ordered supervision for life to follow any term of imprisonment, and requirements to register as a sex offender.

“The exploitation of  children – particularly by those in positions of trust – will not be tolerated in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our commitment to victims and survivors is that when they are met with abuse, offenders will be met with a full measure of accountability.”

“The defendant’s alleged actions are deeply troubling,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic.  “The FBI will not stand for crimes committed against children, and we are poised to use the full weight of our agency to protect minors and hold offenders accountable.”

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 Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —David Bryant III, 25, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on January 28, 2020, officers with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force located Bryant in the passenger seat of a vehicle on Wilkes Road in Columbia and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. The arresting officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and the driver confirmed marijuana was present. Officers searched the vehicle and found marijuana as well as a 12-gauge shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and .40 caliber pistol. The serial number on the 9mm pistol had been completely removed.

After law enforcement read Bryant his Miranda rights, he confirmed that all of the firearms belonged to him and that the .40 caliber pistol was given to him after it was stolen by a friend. At the time of his arrest, Bryant was a known member of a street gang, and his prior convictions for assault and battery 1st degree and discharging a firearm into a dwelling disqualified him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Bryant to 46 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 City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Today, January 9, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is showing its appreciation to law enforcement agencies across the state to celebrate national Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (“L.E.A.D.”). The start of the new year is a perfect time to show support for our law enforcement partners, who often go above and beyond to serve our communities, including by responding to critical incidents, gathering toys for needy kids during the holiday, distributing groceries to families in need, and playing ball with neighborhood kids. Their tireless dedication to the communities they serve does not go unnoticed.

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry and across the Pee Dee and Midlands, members of the USAO will be making visits to departments to thank officers in person and to share artwork done by local school children thanking officers.

The USAO encourages members of the community to take a moment to thank your local community officers, school resource officers, etc. Remember to also thank the families of those officers as the inherent dangers of the job are always at the forefront of their minds. 

Here are a few simple things you can do to thank the officers in your community:

1.          Take snacks/bottled water to local departments, along with a note of support;  

2.         Suggest to schools and children that they write letters or draw pictures supporting law enforcement and then drop those letters/pictures off at the local police  department/sheriff’s office;

3.         Send a letter, card, or email to your local law enforcement agency expressing support and appreciation.  Ask that your support be shared with agency staff; and   

4.         Take a moment to thank the officers you encounter during your normal day.

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Cameron Dyer, 30, of Summerville, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on May 4, 2020, law enforcement identified a Kik Messenger group created for the sharing of child pornography.  Kik Messenger is an instant messaging application for mobile devices that allows users to share content. The members of the group openly engaged in the distribution of child pornography.  Dyer was identified as a member of this group and was actively engaged in sharing child pornography. A federal search warrant was executed at Dyer’s home in Dorchester County on September 22, 2021. FBI seized electronic devices and conducted a forensics examination of the devices and found 56 images and 32 videos of child pornography on Dyer’s cell phone, including that of prepubescent children.

The investigation also revealed that Dyer was convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in 2015 at the Superior Court of Massachusetts, Essex County, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of probation.

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Dyer to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a life term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Judge Hendricks also ordered Dyer to pay $21,000 in restitution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Savitz Drug Store, Inc., has agreed to pay $275,000 to resolve allegations that it committed recordkeeping and dispensing violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). These requirements are designed to prevent the diversion of controlled substances.

This civil settlement includes a corrective action plan and is the culmination of a joint investigation by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA); S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, Bureau of Drug Control (DHEC); and U.S. Attorney’s Office that began in March 2022, when a routine controlled substance inspection by S.C. DHEC revealed that Savitz could not account for approximately 22,056 milliliters of Promethazine with Codeine.

“When pharmacists fail to comply with federal law, they can put controlled substances on the street and place the public at great risk,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office is committed to working with our partners to hold pharmacists accountable for their responsibilities under federal law.”

“The mission of DEA’s Office of Diversion Control is to prevent, detect and investigate the diversion of controlled pharmaceutical and listed chemicals from legitimate sources,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Atlanta Division of the DEA. “In this case, DEA Diversion Investigators did an outstanding job of uncovering this pharmacist’s systemic record-keeping violations and failures to safeguard controlled substances.”

The United States alleges that the Pharmacist-in-Charge of Savitz failed to properly safeguard his Controlled Substance Ordering System (CSOS) private user identification login and password, which resulted in a staff Pharmacist using the CSOS login and password to order controlled substances at least one hundred times.

The United States further alleges that due to Savitz’s failure to maintain complete and accurate controlled substance records and necessary oversight, a tenured Pharmacy Technician at Savitz was able to divert 46 bottles of Promethazine with Codeine (Schedule V) from Savitz over a three-month timeframe. Promethazine with Codeine is a cough syrup that can be used as the main ingredient in a drink mixture commonly known as “Lean” or “Purple Drank.” Effects of “Lean” or “Purple Drank” are consistent with the abuse characteristics of other opioids and result in a sedative and woozy or swooning euphoria.

The conduct outlined in the settlement agreement is merely alleged; the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability by Savitz. 

A main objective of the CSA is controlling illegitimate traffic in controlled substances.  To prevent the diversion of controlled substances, the CSA regulates persons, companies, and other entities that manufacture, distribute, and dispense controlled substances. 

This matter was investigated by DHEC Agent Ann Shields, DEA Acting Group Supervisor Derek Barr, DEA Investigator Kelli Capehart, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Johanna Valenzuela of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

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Columbia, South Carolina – Jonathan W. Sumter, 51, of Greer, was sentenced to over 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in a case of theft of government funds for his scheme to defraud South Carolina Medicaid of over $1 million.

According to evidence presented to the Court, Sumter founded PHC Supportive Services as a company supposedly providing rehabilitative behavioral health services to disabled, low-income individuals in South Carolina through the Medicaid program. Instead, between 2015 and 2019, the company billed South Carolina Medicaid over one million dollars for services never performed.

The Government provided evidence that PHC never had any actual clients or service providers. Instead, Sumter repeatedly billed Medicaid by using the stolen National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers of nine health care professionals to create fraudulent invoices to Medicaid. Sumter then used the stolen identities of 196 Medicaid members with severe mental and emotional health disorders without their knowledge or consent. Caregivers and clients contacted by investigators indicated that they had never received any services from Sumter or PHC. Additionally, the service providers Sumter used on his invoices indicated that they did not work for PHC and had not provided medical services for the company.

“Using stolen identifies of the most defenseless people to steal money from the hard-working people of South Carolina is unacceptable. We will continue to aggressively prosecute offenders who steal from programs designed to provide sorely needed care for our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs.

“This sentence warns bad actors in the behavioral healthcare field that South Carolina has citizens in need of these services; any fraudulent conduct that abuses these programs or prevents our citizens from receiving needed services will not be tolerated. Our office will continue to partner with the United States Attorney’s Office for the arrest and prosecution of those committing fraud against the Medicaid program. We thank our law enforcement partners at the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General for their partnership during this investigation,”  Attorney General Alan Wilson said.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Sumter to 92 months in prison. Sumter was also ordered to repay $1,055,373.66 in restitution to South Carolina Medicaid.

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Nicholas Vanover, 25, of Columbia, was sentenced to 63 months (5 years and three months) in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the Court showed the police were called to an apartment complex on Colleton Street in Columbia concerning a large crowd of gang members causing a disturbance.  When the officers arrived, several people ran.  One gang investigator recognized Vanover from prior incidents and knew he carried guns.  The officer gave chase and saw Vanover run into the backyard of a vacant nearby home.  When Vanover saw the police officer coming towards him, he quickly went behind the home and very shortly thereafter reappeared.  While the officer was approaching Vanover, Vanover stated he “had weed and a little blunt and a little bit of weed in my pocket.”  

The officer took Vanover into custody, searched him, and found a small clear plastic bag containing marijuana in his pocket along with a hand-rolled cigar that also contained marijuana.  The officer then went to the back of the vacant home and saw the crawl space door was open under the home.  The officer looked inside the space and saw a firearm lying in the crawl space.  The gun did not have dirt or dust on it and appeared to be freshly placed there.  The area around the crawl space seemed to be freshly walked on.   The firearm was a fully loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol that had been reported stolen.   Vanover denied possessing the firearm but admitted to possessing the marijuana.  Vanover also told the officers he was in possession of 5 counterfeit $20 bills that he had purchased online that he was going to put in the casket of another Blood member.  

After being taken to the detention center, Vanover made a call to a female friend.  During the phone call, the woman asked him why he had the firearm.  Vanover stated he had it for his protection.  This telephone call confirmed his possession of the firearm. Vanover had previously been convicted of multiple drug charges, so federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition.  

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Vanover to 63 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 (ATF) and the City of Columbia Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.

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FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Dominique Brand, 31, of Marion, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Friday, January 6, 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 a 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:         Friday, February 3, 2023, at 10:00 am

WHERE:      McMillan Federal Building

                       Courtroom 1

                       401 West Evans Street

                       Florence, South Carolina

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Quinnton Jamar Henderson, 32, of Orangeburg, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on December 22, 2019, officers with the Cayce Department of Public Safety responded to a shooting at a residence in Cayce. Upon arriving at the scene, they located a female lying in the front yard. She had been shot in the leg. The female told officers that she and her ex-boyfriend, Quinnton Henderson, had gotten into a verbal dispute, which escalated to Henderson vandalizing property. She said that when she told Henderson she was calling the police, he retrieved a firearm from his car and shot at her before fleeing the scene.

Law enforcement retrieved numerous .380 caliber shell casings from the crime scene and obtained a state warrant for Henderson’s arrest. Approximately one week later, members of the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) located Henderson in a car outside a home in Orangeburg. After a car chase, Henderson was arrested and a .380 caliber pistol was recovered from the roadway, where Henderson had discarded it during the chase.

SLED conducted a ballistics analysis through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which linked the recovered .380 caliber firearm to shell casings recovered from the December 22, 2019, Cayce shooting incident.

Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior felony convictions. He has prior state convictions for unlawful possession of a pistol, failure to stop for blue light and siren, forgery, possession of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, receiving stolen goods, possession of marijuana, assault and battery, resisting a public officer, pointing and presenting a firearm, grand larceny, threatening the life of a public official, distribution of methamphetamine, and assault and battery 1st degree (involving a shooting in Orangeburg). Henderson is currently serving a 6-year state sentence for unrelated charges.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Henderson to 108 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-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.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Cayce Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force, SLED, and the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Rankin Smith of the Lexington County Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Derek Jerome Nelson, 33, of Augusta, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to 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, in June and July 2019, when Nelson was 30 years old, he enticed a 13-year-old minor girl into sexual conduct.  Nelson met the victim through an online social media application, communicated with her by text message, and then moved the communications to an end-to-end encrypted chat, also through an internet-based cell phone application.  Through that application, Nelson engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor and he arranged to travel from Augusta, GA, to the Columbia, SC, area to exploit the minor. 

On July 7, 2019 around 3:00 AM, a Richland County Sheriff’s Department patrol deputy noticed a vehicle parked at a vacant business.  When the deputy approached, he observed two occupants in the back seat before a man later identified as Nelson climbed into the driver’s seat.  Nelson then ignored commands from police, fled from the scene, and took police on a 2-mile car chase at speeds as high as 90 miles per hour. 

During the chase, the 13-year-old victim was thrown from the car. Evidence presented in Court indicated Nelson made her jump from the car against her will.  As a result, the minor victim suffered severe injuries that required emergency treatment.

Nelson then admitted to deputies that he had engaged in sexual contact with the minor, and a review of Nelson’s phone and the minor victim’s phone revealed sexually explicit images, videos, and messages sent between them, including a video of Nelson abusing the minor.  Evidence on Nelson’s phone also revealed that he knew the victim was 13-years-old before the night of his arrest.

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Nelson to 15 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision, and Nelson will have to register as a sex offender after release. There is no parole in the federal system. 

The case was investigated by the FBI with critical assistance from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and T. DeWayne Pearson 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.

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned an indictment against Michele “Mike” Mancino, 40, of Goose Creek, for production and possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that from at least November 2021, until December 2022, Mancino employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit activity in order to produce a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment additionally alleges that on or about October 26, 2022, Mancino possessed child pornography involving a child under the age of 12.

Mancino faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, and he is currently detained.

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.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Charleston Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Orville is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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WASHINGTON – Vijesh Patel, M.D. and his office manager and wife Laju Patel, both of Port Neches, Texas, have agreed to pay $422,789 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they received illegal kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute in return for referring patients for laboratory testing, and both have agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of, and litigation against, other participants in the alleged schemes.

“Kickbacks can undermine a physician’s medical judgment, result in unnecessary testing, and increase health care costs borne by taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue physicians, laboratories, and others responsible for schemes that violate rules intended to safeguard the integrity of federal health care programs.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Dr. and Mrs. Patel received kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute in return for Dr. Patel’s referrals to three laboratories:

• Texas Laboratory. From December 2016 to July 2018, Dr. Patel allegedly received thousands of dollars in payments from a purported management service organization (MSO) named Indus MG LLC (Indus) in return for ordering laboratory tests from True Health Diagnostics LLC (True Health), a clinical laboratory in Frisco, Texas. The Indus MSO’s payments to Dr. Patel allegedly were disguised as investment returns but in fact were based on, and offered in exchange for, his referrals to True Health.
• New Jersey Laboratory. From August 2018 to August 2021, Dr. Patel allegedly received thousands of dollars in kickbacks disguised as investment returns from a purported MSO named Avior Group LLC (Avior) in return for ordering laboratory tests from RDx Bioscience, Inc. (RDx), a clinical laboratory in Kenilworth, New Jersey. RDx allegedly funded remuneration to Dr. Patel in the form of volume-based commissions paid to an independent contractor recruiter, Corum Group LLC, which used an associated company, Avior, to pay kickbacks to Dr. Patel and other physicians in return for their referrals. In addition, fom December 2018 to August 2022, Mrs. Patel allegedly received kickbacks from RDx in the form of commercially unreasonable fees to purportedly collect urine specimens for testing that Dr. Patel referred to RDx.
• South Carolina Laboratory. From August 2019 to December 2021, Dr. Patel allegedly received hundreds of dollars per month in inflated space rental payments in return for ordering laboratory tests from Labtech Diagnostics LLC (Labtech), a clinical laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina. Labtech’s rental payments allegedly were for a commercially unreasonable amount of space and excessive days and time.

“Patients deserve to know that the decisions their health care providers are making are based solely on their medical needs, not on some profit-making scheme,” said U.S Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Our office will continue to pursue anyone responsible for actions that have the potential to corrupt the medical decision-making process.”

“This settlement demonstrates the Eastern District of Texas’s firm and continued commitment to pursuing all persons responsible for engaging in kickback schemes that inevitably harm the taxpayers, increase costs to care, and decrease access to health care,” said U.S Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas. “We remain vigilant in our pursuit to put a stop to those who partake in kickback schemes of this kind and to hold them accountable for the collective harm they caused.”

“Patients should be able to trust that their doctor’s medical recommendation is in their best interest and not influenced by the doctor’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “Our office has and will continue to hold accountable those that give and receive illegal kickbacks, both to maintain the public’s trust in the healthcare system and to ensure taxpayer money is properly spent.”

“Health care providers engaging in kickback schemes corrupt the provider-patient relationship and impose hidden costs on the health care system,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Frisco with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Alongside our law enforcement partners, our agency is committed to safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs by holding individuals who unlawfully bill the programs accountable for their actions.”

“Today’s outcome demonstrates the steadfast determination of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our investigative partners to root out fraud perpetrated against TRICARE,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory P. Shilling for the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS remains focused on protecting and preserving valuable taxpayer dollars by holding those accountable who attempt to defraud the DoD.”

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Texas, District of New Jersey, and District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG and DCIS. To date, the United States has recovered over $32 million relating to conduct involving True Health or MSO kickbacks to physicians in Texas, including False Claims Act settlements with 34 physicians, two health care executives, one office manager, and one laboratory. In addition, the United States has filed a lawsuit under the False Claims Act against former True Health CEO Christopher Grottenthaler and others, which is captioned United States ex rel. STF, LLC v. True Health Diagnostics, LLC, et al., No. 4:16-cv-547 (E.D. Tex.).  A defendant who violates the act is liable for three times the amount of the government’s losses plus applicable penalties.

The settlement announced today was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), Assistant U.S. Attorney Kruti Dharia for the District of New Jersey, Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham, Adrian Garcia and Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina.

The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Jonathan Ramaci, 58, of Charleston, for wire fraud.

Count One of the Indictment alleges that Ramaci diverted at least $600,000 of investor funds that had been raised for his company, Elements of Genius, to another company he controlled, Mobile Life Labs, which were then used for his personal use. Counts Two and Three allege that Ramaci submitted fraudulent documents to the Small Business Administration and approved third party lenders to receive Payroll Protection and Emergency Injury Disaster Relief loans.

Ramaci faces a maximum penalty of twenty years for each count. A detention hearing is scheduled for 3:00 pm on December 15, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation in coordination with the Securities Division of the Office of the South Carolina Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy F. Bower is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Greenville returned a four-count indictment charging Lawrence Joseph Florentine, 54, of Rock Hill, with interstate domestic violence resulting in death; use of a firearm to shoot his spouse and intimate partner, N.Z.F., during a crime of violence; obstruction of justice; and use of fire to commit interstate domestic violence. The alleged offenses were committed in June 2020, in South Carolina and elsewhere.

South Carolina ranks seventh among all states with respect to the percentage of women who experienced domestic violence at some point during their lifetimes and has ranked within the top 10 states for the rate of female homicide in each of the past 17 years. Federal laws provide tools for prosecuting domestic violence offenders in certain situations involving firearms and interstate travel or activity.

Florentine faces a maximum penalty of death or up to life in prison if convicted.

The case was investigated by the Kentucky State Police; Caldwell County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Office; Greenville County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; York County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; Rock Hill, South Carolina, Police Department; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leesa Washington is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Beth Beamer, a/k/a Beth Ballard, 48, of Mauldin, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to theft of government property.

According to court documents, in October 2020, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) received information from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office that Beth Beamer’s mother, Rena Beamer, reportedly went missing from her home in Mauldin on an unknown date in the summer of 2017. SSA-OIG learned that despite Rena Beamer being a missing person since 2017, her SSA Title II-Retirement benefits were still being paid and deposited into her bank account, to which Beth Beamer had access.

From May 2017 to May 2020, SSA electronically deposited benefits into Rena Beamer’s bank account. In May 2020, the benefits were suspended for SSA to develop a new address for Rena Beamer. On December 21, 2020, SSA received a phone call from an unknown female caller who identified herself as Rena Beamer and provided Rena’s name, date of birth, place of birth, and bank account number. Additionally, the caller, who was later identified as Beth Beamer, updated the mailing address to an address in North Carolina. This phone call caused the SSA to restart paying benefits into the bank account of Rena Beamer. SSA-OIG reviewed bank records for Rena Beamer’s bank account and determined that Beth Beamer was accessing the SSA payments and spending the money on herself.

In May 2021, Beth Beamer was arrested in North Carolina on South Carolina state charges of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult, Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult, Obstruction of an Investigation, Abuse or Neglect Resulting in Death, Unauthorized Removal of a Dead Body, and Destruction/Desecration of Human Remains. Upon her arrest, she was interviewed by Greenville County Sheriff’s Office deputies and SSA-OIG agents.

Regarding the theft of Rena Beamer’s SSA benefits, Beth Beamer stated that in August 2017, she had removed Rena Beamer’s dead body from their Mauldin home and thrown the body down a roadside embankment into a river near Tryon, North Carolina. She also said that she did not notify SSA of the death of Rena Beamer, that she called the SSA to impersonate Rena Beamer, and that she continued to receive the SSA benefits intended for Rena Beamer until May 2021. SSA-OIG determined that from August 2017 until May 2021, Beth Beamer received $69,909.40 of Social Security Administration Title II-Retirement benefits to which she was not entitled.

United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Beamer to 16 months in prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. Beamer was also ordered to pay $68,909.40 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. There is no parole in the federal system.

The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) investigated the case with the assistance of the Greenville County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Lincoln County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCBI). 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor prosecuted the case.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a three-count indictment against Quonzy Hope, 33, Timario Gayton, 30, Javaris Johnson, 35, and Thomas Perry, 29, all of the York County area, for drug trafficking offenses.

The indictment alleges that beginning in August 2022, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, and over 500 grams of cocaine. The indictment further alleges that on October 19, 2022, the defendants possessed with intent to distribute  over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, and over 500 grams of cocaine.  Additionally, the indictment alleges that in August 2022, Hope possessed with intent to distribute and distributed over 400 grams of fentanyl. 

The defendants face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

This investigation 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 (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (YCMDEU).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Columbia, SOUTH CAROLINA —Paul Burton, 27, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on February 15, 2022, Burton posted a live video on social media at a Columbia gas station. In the video, he bragged about successfully robbing a rival gang member, who was still at the gas station, of a gold chain. During the video, Burton threatened the rival gang member with a firearm inside of the gas station. Later that same day, the City of Columbia Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a car Burton was driving. Because the car smelled of marijuana, police officers searched the car and found a loaded pistol.

On February 16, 2022, members of the Midlands Gang Task Force interviewed Burton and he and admitted to being in possession of the same pistol found in the car during the traffic stop. Burton is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon his prior convictions for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature, Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.

Burton faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow any prison term.  United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Burton after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States 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), the City of Columbia Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.

SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA — Bubba Technology Group, LLC, a gaming business operating throughout South Carolina from Piedmont, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling organization following an extensive joint investigation between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

As part of the felony sentence, the company agreed to forfeit approximately $367,000 – its profits from the illegal business – and it will not be able to sell unlicensed gambling machines within South Carolina. Authorities also seized dozens of machines and an additional $670,000 from gaming houses affiliated with the business.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that Bubba Technology Group was leasing and selling unlicensed gambling machines, known as Fish Machines, to various businesses throughout South Carolina – including convenient stores and bars. Specifically, the Fish Machines allowed a player to insert cash into the machine and attempt to shoot digital fish based on how many credits the player chose to wager. If successful, a player could exchange a printed receipt for cash at the store or bar. In cases where Bubba Technology Group leased machines to a business or individual, the profits were split between the two entities.

As part of the plea, the company agreed that it is illegal under South Carolina law to keep, operate, or distribute unlicensed gambling machines within South Carolina. Further, the company agreed that a gambling machine includes gaming machines where a player receives cash payouts as a result of their play.

“The Defendant took a chance that it could make money by breaking the law. It lost that bet,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “This business sold machines that allowed people to make wagers and win money – which makes the business illegal under federal law here in South Carolina. This Office will aggressively pursue those who seek to get rich by breaking federal laws. Wherever illegal money is made, crime festers.”

“No matter what your personal views may be, gambling is against the law in South Carolina. The law is the law and it must be followed,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.

“Cases like this prove the old saying, that crime doesn’t pay, is right,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North and South Carolina. “Thanks to the great work done by HSI and its law enforcement partners, this illegal gambling enterprise has been dismantled.”

“Illegal gambling operations like this will be shut down,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED Agents worked closely with our federal partners on this operation to ensure any business that violates the law will be held accountable.”

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. sentenced Bubba Technology Group to one year of probation, and forfeiture of $367,039.43. Seizures in related cases resulted in an additional forfeiture of $673,408.77 in illegal gambling profits. Throughout these cases, law enforcement officials also seized dozens of gaming machines.

This case was investigated by HSI and SLED, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Drug Enforcement Unit, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Immigration Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Justin Holloway prosecuted the federal case, and South Carolina Assistant Attorney General Creighton Waters oversaw the state investigation.

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A Florence couple, along with family members from Florida and New York, have all pleaded guilty for their role in a nationwide unemployment fraud conspiracy. Those Defendants pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud are

• Mohammad Ribhi Farraj, 43, of Florence;
• Nariman Mahmoud Masoud, 35, of Florence;
• Marvet Masoud, 34, of Homestead, Florida; and
• Susan Masoud, 31, of Brooklyn, New York.

According to information presented to the Court, fraud schemes against unemployment benefits programs had become more prevalent after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provided federally-funded expanded Unemployment Insurance (UI).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) lengthy investigation included witness interviews, confidential informants, search warrants, and subpoenas. The investigation revealed that from January 2020 to February 2022, the Defendants engaged in a wire fraud conspiracy to file and receive fraudulent claims for regular UI and expanded pandemic UI benefits from New York, Florida, and South Carolina.

Specifically, the Defendants would electronically submit false UI claims to various state agencies, using the personal identifying information of others they had procured. The Defendants had the funds loaded onto prepaid debit cards issued in the names of the third parties, had the cards mailed to addresses under their control, and used the cards to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Mohammad Farraj’s and Nariman Masoud’s role in the scheme was to procure personal identifying information, create fraudulent UI applications, recruit others into the scheme, withdraw money from accounts containing UI benefits, and place that money into their bank accounts and cryptocurrency accounts. Marvet Masoud and Susan Masoud helped create fraudulent UI applications and withdrew money from accounts containing UI bene its.

The total amount of the UI fraud alone was at least $444,753.

“These Defendants callously took advantage of an unprecedented and nationwide pandemic-borne employment crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “They stole money specifically intended for out-of-work Americans trying to make ends meet, and they used that money to enrich themselves. This Office will not tolerate those who seek to get rich off the backs of hardworking taxpayers, and I commend the excellent work of the FBI in bringing this fraud ring to justice.”

“In a time where so many Americans are out of work and struggling financially, these individuals decided to fraudulently and selfishly take advantage of much needed unemployment benefits to line their pockets,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge, Susan Ferensic. “No matter how advanced the scheme, the FBI and its law enforcement partners will work to dismantle these crimes and make sure the responsible parties are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Each Defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow any term of imprisonment.  United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the Defendants after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. A fifth Defendant, Wafah Masoud, 33, of Wylie, Texas, had her case continued in order to complete a pretrial diversion program given her limited role in the scheme.

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 FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake, who served as the Office’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, and Lauren Hummel are prosecuting the case.

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Ashia Rhene McCray, 22, of Conway, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, a quantity of fentanyl, with death resulting. 

“As we have seen across South Carolina and the rest of the country, deadly drugs have deadly consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs.  “As this case makes clear, those who bring poison into our communities face grave consequences for the death and destruction they sow.  I want to especially thank our federal and state partners who brought this fentanyl distributor to justice.”

“Last year, more than 100,000 people died of drug poisoning, many of which were caused by fentanyl – that’s more than the highest match attendance at this year’s World Cup,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division.  “This Defendant unfortunately contributed to this staggering statistic and will therefore spend a lengthy amount of time behind bars.” 

“Once again, the collaboration between local and federal law enforcement partners has succeeded in taking dangerous drugs, and the people that sell them, off our streets,” said Chief Joe R. Hill of Horry County Police Department.  “Together, we are able to bring many more resources to bear upon this problem, and we are so appreciative of these partnerships.” 

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on October 24, 2021, McCray sold purported Roxicodone pills to another individual at a home in Conway.  Shortly thereafter, the purchaser died of an accidental drug-induced cardiac arrythmia.  Pills consistent with those sold to the Victim by McCray were recovered from the Victim’s wallet. Those pills lab tested positive for fentanyl, which was also found in the Victim’s system.  Subsequent investigation determined that the fentanyl in the Victim’s system was the cause of the Victim’s death.

United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III, sentenced McCray to 135 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by Horry County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — David Curtis White, 23, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to Court documents, White’s activities were discovered in September 2020 when the mother of a then 11-year-old discovered the child had communicated with and created sexually explicit images at the request of another user on the instant messaging application Snapchat. Law enforcement investigators subsequently identified White as the offender.

Investigators searched White’s residence and digital devices and discovered that he had successfully persuaded and coerced the minor victim to produce sexually explicit material. White, who purported to be a minor, initially communicated with the victim on the Omegle online chat website and then exchanged Snapchat usernames with the victim. Investigators also discovered hundreds of child pornography images and videos on White’s electronic devices that he had collected from the internet.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced White to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifeterm of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor prosecuted the case.

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.

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FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned an indictment against James Edward Moss, Jr., 37, of Little River, for production of child pornography and sexual coercion of a minor.

The indictment alleges that from April 20, 2022, until April 23, 2022, Moss persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor victim to engage in prostitution and the production of child pornography. The indictment further alleges that during this timeframe, Moss actually produced child pornography of the minor victim.

Moss faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and is currently detained pending a detention hearing.

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.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Horry County Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Lauren Hummel are prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 10-count superseding indictment against Eric Rashun Jones, a/k/a “E Dolla,” a/k/a “E,” 30, of Newberry, charging felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, human trafficking conspiracy, five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, & coercion, and three counts of witness tampering. The grand jury also indicted a co-conspirator, Brittany Danielle Cromer, 33, of Greenville, with human trafficking conspiracy.

The superseding indictment alleges that between 2018 and 2022, Jones and Cromer recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and sex trafficked at least five victims by force, fraud, or coercion.  The indictment alleges that Jones also corruptly persuaded victims and witnesses to not speak to the police.  The indictment also charges that Jones was a felon in possession of a Springfield Armory, 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.

Jones faces six counts that carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison; he faces a maximum penalty of up to Life in prison.  Cromer also faces up to Life in prison.

Jones was ordered detained pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett after a contested detention hearing.  At that hearing, the Court heard evidence that Jones was a fugitive from state law enforcement from September 2019 until his arrest in March 2022.  He has remained in custody since that time.  Evidence presented in Court also indicated that Jones recruited vulnerable women and obtained commercial sex from victims for his financial benefit by means of physical and sexual violence, by manipulating victims’ drug withdrawal symptoms, and by threats and fraud. Evidence was presented that some victims were tattooed with a reference to Jones’s name.  Evidence also indicated that Jones threatened violence and retaliation if victims or witnesses cooperated with law enforcement.

Cromer was granted a bond pending trial with conditions designed to protect against flight risk or danger.

This case is being 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Greenville Police Department, Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Simpsonville Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Derek Taft Evans, 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

Evidence presented to the Court showed that on June 15, 2020, a Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a Chrysler 200 driven by Evans for speeding. In a subsequent search of the Chrysler, law enforcement recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun, approximately 36 grams of crack cocaine and 3.8 grams of fentanyl from the Chrysler’s center console. Additional investigation showed Evans was involved in trafficking multiple controlled substances, including heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Evans to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a four-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 Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A joint venture comprised of companies affiliated with G4S Secure Integration, LLC, has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that the companies violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting to the U.S. State Department false claims for payment related to training of local guard forces at the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia. The companies comprising the joint venture are G4S Secure Integration, LLC; G4S Secure Solutions International Inc.; and G4S Technology Solutions (SK) (hereafter referred to individually or collectively as “G4S”).

In 2016, G4S Secure Integration, LLC, was awarded a contract by the State Department to provide local guard forces at the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia, in order to provide additional security to the Embassy. The contract required G4S to provide 80 hours of basic training to each guard, and prohibited the services of any guard who had not completed the required training. The United States alleged that G4S failed to provide all 80 hours of basic training to certain guards during the period from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2019, and failed to accurately document the performance of training.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold accountable those who submit claims for payment to the United States for services not provided,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “We are thankful for the great work of the agents with the State Department’s Office of Inspector General. Their work helps ensure the safety of the men and women serving in U.S. embassies around the world.”

“This resolution demonstrates the U.S. State Department’s Office of Inspector General’s resolve to hold contractors accountable for failing to give the U.S. government the services it’s paid for, especially when those services involve the security of our embassies worldwide,” said Elisabeth Kaminsky, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State OIG, Office of Investigations.

The case was investigated by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General and their Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) colleagues, along with Assistant United States Attorneys Stan Ragsdale and Johanna Valenzuela of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Wise Services Inc. (Wise), located in Dayton, Ohio, has agreed to pay $302,500 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false and fraudulent invoices for non-existent materials to the Department of Energy (DOE) and paying improper kickbacks. The settlement amount was negotiated based on Wise’s lack of ability to pay.

Wise was a subcontractor at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at the DOE Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. The United States alleged that Wise knowingly submitted to the prime contractor — MOX Services LLC, formerly known as CB&I AREVA MOX Services LLC (MOX) — hundreds of invoices charging millions of dollars for materials that did not exist. MOX presented those false invoices to DOE. The United States also alleged that Wise employees paid kickbacks to MOX employees involved in the scheme.

“The government expects both contractors and subcontractors to adhere to their contractual commitments,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who violate their commitments and undermine the integrity of the government’s procurement process will face appropriate consequences.” 

“This settlement puts subcontractors on notice that they will be held accountable for submitting false invoices and paying kickbacks to contractors on federal contracts with the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We are grateful to the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General and the National Nuclear Security Administration for their important work in this case.”

“The lawsuit filed by Justice Department and this settlement will serve as a deterrent to others who seek to defraud the Department of Energy,” said Inspector General Teri L. Donaldson for the Department of Energy. “We are always seeking out those who develop illegal schemes designed to harm the government and the American taxpayers and we will continue to do everything we can to detect and deter these fraudsters.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims against Wise brought under the False Claims Act by the United States in the case captioned United States v. CB&I AREVA MOX Services LLC and Wise Services Inc., No. 19-cv-444 (D.S.C.). MOX paid $10 million in a settlement with the government earlier this year for its participation in the scheme.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from the DOE Office of Inspector General and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Don Williamson and Rory Skaggs, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johanna Valenzuela, James Leventis and Sheria Clarke for the District of South Carolina.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — On November 16, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina approved a consent decree that resolves allegations that Defendant New Indy Containerboard Catawba LLC’s paper and pulp factory was causing an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act through its emissions of elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The consent decree ensures that New Indy will be required to comply with requirements and stop elevated H2S emissions or face additional penalties.  The complaint was brought in 2021 by the United States, on behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”).

H2S is a flammable, colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. Exposure to H2S may cause irritation to the eyes, nose, or throat. It may also cause difficulty in breathing for individuals with asthma. Respiratory distress or arrest has been observed in people exposed to very high concentrations of H2S.

Section 303 of the Clean Air Act (“Emergency Powers”) is used when there is evidence that a pollution source is “presenting an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare, or the environment.” Under Section 303, the United States can bring suit to immediately restrain any person causing or contributing to the alleged pollution in order to stop any such emission of air pollutants that are causing or contributing to such pollution.

Under the consent decree, the defendant is required to pay $1,100,000 in civil penalties and comply with operational requirements and emission monitoring and concentration levels that are focused on ensuring that H2S emissions by New Indy remain below levels that may present health impacts. After three sequential years of compliance with the consent decree requirements beginning yesterday, New Indy may seek to terminate the consent decree, but the operational requirements will remain in effect under enforceable permits.

“This is a substantial penalty that represents accountability and corrective justice under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “We are thankful for the great work of the EPA and our state partners and remain committed to protecting our communities through tough enforcement of the nation’s environmental laws.”

“This settlement provides significant environmental benefits to the surrounding communities by ensuring they are protected from pollution from this facility through mandatory long-term improvements designed to ensure cleaner air,” said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

“Thanks to EPA’s swift action, the facility has not had an exceedance of the health-based standard for H2S since September 2021 and this settlement ensures that protection will be extended long-term,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman.

This settlement resolves the CAA 303 imminent and substantial endangerment finding. The EPA continues to investigate compliance for other pollutants and, should there be additional noncompliance with the CAA or other environmental laws, it will be addressed under separate action. For more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental enforcement efforts, visit: https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15198

For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc.

This case was handled by EPA counsel Marirose Pratt; Steven O’Rourke of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Johanna Valenzuela for the District of South Carolina.

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GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA --- Virgil Anthony Delord Greggs, 45, of Easley, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that agents with the Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force went to a hotel on Calhoun Memorial Highway to arrest Greggs on an outstanding warrant. While taking Greggs into custody, agents saw evidence of illegal drug use and secured a search warrant. While executing the warrant, they located a Taurus .380 pistol in a bookbag with Greggs’s belongings.

Greggs was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was detained without bond. Greggs pleaded guilty, and U.S. District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. sentenced him to 41 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

Greggs’s criminal history includes prior state convictions for assault and battery, criminal domestic violence, possession of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and committing or attempting a lewd act on a child less than 16 years old. 

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen prosecuted the case.

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