District of South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the Department of Justice awarded thirteen police departments throughout South Carolina more than $8 million through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, which allows those agencies to hire 63 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.

“I am thrilled that so many of our deserving local South Carolina partners earned these sought-after funds to boost the most critical tool in any police department: its people,” said U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. “This will allow our sheriffs and police chiefs more officers to develop community partnerships, engage community leaders, and put other community policing features into place.”

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. 

The following thirteen law enforcement agencies in South Carolina earned awards:

• Bluffton Police Department received $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
   
• Camden Police Department received $326,644, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
   
• Charleston County Sheriff’s Office received $1,250,000, which includes the ability to hire 10 officers;
   
• Chester County Sheriff's Office received $1,015,824, which includes the ability to hire 6 officers;
   
• Chester Police Department received $382,963, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
   
• Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office received $395,089, which includes the ability to hire 4 officers;
   
• Conway Police Department received, $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
   
• Greeleyville Police Department received $97,124, which includes the ability to hire 1 officer;
   
• Hampton County Sheriff's Office received $367,989, which includes the ability to hire 3 officers;
   
• Hardeeville Police Department received $250,000, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers;
   
• Horry County Police Department received $1,875,000, which includes the ability to hire 15 officers;
   
• Myrtle Beach Police Department received $1,250,000, which includes the ability to hire 10 officers; and
   
• Spartanburg Police Department received $351,762, which includes the ability to hire 2 officers.
   

As recently announced by the U.S. Attorney General, across the country the Department awarded 596 law enforcement agencies more than $400 million, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.

“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support.  The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr.  “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”

In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities.  Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.

CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area.  43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention.  The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions. 

To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp.  For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is joining federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to preserve our citizens’ First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly while protecting our communities from violence and destruction.

In a recent statement, U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr noted that federal law enforcement resources would be available to assist state and local leaders in their efforts to ensure peaceful protests and to reestablish law and order. Attorney General Barr said that federal resources will be directed at apprehending and charging the violent radical agitators who have hijacked peaceful demonstrations and engaged in violations of federal law.

U.S. Attorney McCoy explained his office has been working with the Governor of South Carolina, the South Carolina Attorney General, police chiefs, sheriffs, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the events of the past weekend.  According to U.S. Attorney McCoy, this joint federal, state, and local coordination is designed to use available federal assets to assist state and local partners in maintaining decorum and allowing people to peacefully assemble, while protecting against violence and destruction. Specifically, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is also working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to identify criminal organizers and instigators. The FBI’s JTTFs are the nation’s front line of defense against terrorism, both international and domestic. Today there are about 200 task forces around the country, including one in the FBI’s Columbia field office.

“All Americans should enjoy the right, through the First Amendment, to peacefully assemble, express their concerns, and protest,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “The violence and destruction that escalated from peaceful gatherings this weekend, which we’ve seen across the country and in particular here in our State, are unacceptable. Once gatherings turn violent and destructive towards citizens, police officers, property, and businesses, a line has been crossed. We will continue to coordinate with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively prosecute those who cross that line.”

“The FBI will continue to utilize all our resources to enforce federal law and ensure everyone’s Constitutional rights are protected,” said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI.

State and local partners across the state joined U.S. Attorney McCoy and the FBI in their commitment to ensuring peaceful protests.

“Our priorities are to protect people’s lives and property, and we also want to protect the First Amendment rights of the peaceful protestors who want their voices heard,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “For those people who are trying to hijack these protests to instigate violence and destruction, we’ll do everything in our power to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“We welcome the help of our federal partners in this effort,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. “We will not tolerate bad actors and agitators who keep trying to disrupt these protests. We’ve received dozens of videos and pictures of those who agitated the crowds this weekend. And we’re coming for them.”

“I love Columbia. It’s a privilege to be a police officer in Columbia, South Carolina,” said City of Columbia Police Department Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook. “Our officers assembled this weekend with the purpose of protecting those who chose to assemble peacefully in our city. Our sole purpose was to protect them and to make sure that they had a safe venue, a safe walk to the State Capitol to express their anger and position. That’s our job. What I witnessed Saturday during violent protests was a travesty. It hurt my heart. I’ve watched those same CPD officers who showed up to protect, sent to the hospital with serious injuries. We’ve had property damage, rocks and bottles thrown at us, damage to CPD Headquarters. It’s not who we are as a community. We are all better than that.”

“We will work closely with our local, state and federal partners to identify and prosecute those individuals who act unlawfully in a time when citizens need us most.,” said Charleston County Sheriff James Alton Cannon, Jr. “Our relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is vital to ensure that citizens can exercise their rights safely and peacefully.”

“The horrible death of Mr. George Floyd is painful to us all,” said City of North Charleston Police Department Chief Reginald “Reggie” L. Burgess. “We all need to come together, to plan and work together, to effect lasting change.  Being a proud African-American and a Chief of Police, I follow the advice of Fredrick Douglass who stated, ‘I will unite with anyone doing right and no one doing wrong!’”

“It is important to know that we have the support of our federal partners in times like these,” said Charleston Police Department Chief of Police Luther T. Reynolds. “With the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and other federal resources, we are able to achieve the goal of keeping the City of Charleston safe.”

“The horrific event in Minneapolis has, in no doubt, placed a dark cloud over law enforcement in America,” said Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis. “While I am deeply saddened by the death of George Floyd, I am hopeful that we can use this incident to further advance dialogue between the community and law enforcement. Our community’s voice was heard loud and clear through the recent peaceful protests in Greenville, and I commend the way the majority of our community, both law enforcement and civilians, united together to express frustrations. Constructive dialogue is always welcome in Greenville but the destruction of property and violence will not be tolerated by our citizens and our law enforcement that live, work, and play in our great county.”

Attorney General Barr’s statement is available here:  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barrs-statement-riots-and-domestic-terrorism

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Nathan Branham, 39, of Cheraw, South Carolina, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with online coercion and enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to a minor.

Branham had a detention hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West on Tuesday and had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Rogers on May 20. At this time, he remains in custody.

The complaint states that Branham contacted a 13-year-old minor in Kentucky through the online social media application Uplive, a live-streaming platform that allows viewers to broadcast and view real-time videos via their smartphones. Using the screen name Mystic, Branham learned the minor’s age, told the minor he was sixteen years old, and convinced the minor to contact him using the Google Duo video chat application.

According to the complaint, the minor immediately noticed Branham was an adult male. Although Branham stated that he had a genetic condition that made him look older, the minor ended the call. At that point Branham claimed he could find the minor’s address and threatened the minor into engaging in another call with him. On that call, Branham told the minor to expose herself or he was going to “find out your address and have a little talk to you.” After the minor complied, Branham also exposed himself. The minor reported the matter to her parents. The parents contacted Branham, who also used the Facebook username Shuja Jahan, at which point Branham claimed to be a police officer.

According to testimony during court proceedings, Branham – who has convictions for indecent exposure, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and being a felon in possession of a firearm – engaged in similar interactions with minors on more than thirty occasions.

The case was initiated by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office through the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program, a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 4,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office ICAC task force. The complaint was brought in South Carolina federal court within a week of the first report to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake of the Florence office.

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.

U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

dsc_press_release_branham_complaint.pdf

Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Todd Van Natta, 43, of Summerville, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding dozens of victims of over a million dollars via a business fraud scheme from 2016 through 2018.  

Evidence presented to the court showed Van Natta sought out individuals to invest in various businesses that he controlled.  The businesses were generally represented by Van Natta to purchase shipments of goods that he then would break down for resale at a profit.  Through these investments, Van Natta deprived approximately 28 investors of a total of over one million dollars, with none of the investors receiving any return on their investment.  The victims lived both in and outside of South Carolina, with several victims living in Ohio.

At the time of the offense, Van Natta was on federal supervised release for a similar conviction out of the District of Indiana.  Information at sentencing established that Van Natta began his most recent criminal activity soon after his release from federal prison. 

United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Van Natta to 51 months on his fraud conviction, and ten months consecutive for violating his supervised release, all to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. The court also ordered Van Natta to pay over one million dollars in restitution to his victims. There is no parole in the federal system.

The sentencing hearing was conducted virtually, under the federal CARES Act, so that the parties did not appear in the courtroom. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio Department of Commerce. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Terrell Montez Benjamin, a/k/a “Mean Man,” 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Evidence presented to the court showed that in the Spring of 2018, police officers from the Charleston Police Department and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating an armed drug trafficking organization operating in the Charleston City housing project in the Gadsden Green neighborhood. Law enforcement captured drug transactions being conducted in multiple apartments in the housing complex.

On September 4, 2018, Benjamin, who was one of five defendants indicted and convicted in connection with the investigation of this drug trafficking organization, was captured on video selling crack cocaine with another member of the drug trafficking organization. In October, authorities raided another nearby apartment the organization was using and discovered large quantities of drugs and multiple firearms. Benjamin has a lengthy criminal history, including numerous prior convictions for distributing crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and for possessing firearms. He was released from prison in June 2018, after serving time for a drug conviction, and quickly returned to his old ways.

Benjamin ultimately pleaded guilty and was held responsible for the drugs that he sold on September 4, 2018.

United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Benjamin to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Charleston Police Department.

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. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Schoen and Charlie Bourne of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a joint team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested eight individuals who have all been charged, along with four others, in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

The recent charges and early-morning arrests on May 14 marked the second wave of Operation Lowcountry Line, an operation which represents a line of federal, state, and local authorities working in tandem to bring consequences to those who harm their communities. The multi-year operation has specifically targeted members and associates of a street gang known as the Dorchester Terrace Crew, DTC, or 4-mile.

“In the midst of a pandemic, this team of brave law enforcement officers let the people of South Carolina, and in particular the folks here in the Lowcountry, know that we are open for business,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Those who break the law will be held accountable. No matter what might be going on in the world, the people of South Carolina deserve to be safe, especially in their own neighborhoods.”

"These arrests and indictments are the result of the tremendous dedication and professionalism of all our law enforcement partners," said Jody Norris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI.

The eight arrested defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Additionally, one of the defendants has been charged with firearms offenses:

ANTONIO MILLER, 39, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

DEANGELO RAVENEL, a/k/a “FAST CASH,” 31, of Ladson, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug tracking crime, using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies, and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine;

RYAN NELSON, A/K/A “CLEPTO,” 39, of Columbia, was attributed 500 grams or more of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

CONSTANCE S. MANIGAULT, 39, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine;

DAMION KAREEB BROWN, a/k/a “D-BLACK, 24, of Charleston, was attributed was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

JUAN BAVISTA ANGULO, a/k/a “BUSH,” 38, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

DOMANECK RYAN ASHLEY DIXON, a/k/a “DOM,” 31, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and

RASHARD WHITFIELD, a/k/a “SHARD,” 29, of Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

Defendant RAVENEL faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Defendants MILLER, NELSON, MANIGAULT, and BROWN face up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.  Defendants ANGULO, DIXON, and WHITFIELD face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.

In addition to the defendants arrested, four more defendants have been charged in the superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine. 

LATREL DIQUAN DEMAINE HAMILTON, a/k/a “TREL BLACK,” a/k/a “LATINO,” 24, of Charleston, was attributed 50 grams of more of a mixture of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

TIEMEYER O’NEIL GETHERS, a/k/a “T.O.,” 39, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies;

TIMOTHY ROBINSON JR., a/k/a “THRILLER,” 33, of North Charleston, was attributed a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies; and

OREALIUS SYRON NELSON, a/k/a “SYRON,” a/k/a “KEMO,” 42, of Mount Pleasant, was attributed a quantity of cocaine in the conspiracy count and charged with using a communication facility to facilitate drug felonies.

Defendant HAMILTON faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.  Defendants GETHERS, ROBINSON JR., and NELSON face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.

According to the fifty-count superseding indictment, the case involves members of a street gang who obtained bulk supplies of heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics from interstate sources of supply and then redistributed the drugs to street-level drug dealers in the greater Charleston area.  The superseding indictment also alleges that the gang members and associates threatened violence and used firearms to defend themselves and their criminal enterprise from rival drug dealers and gang members.

In July 2019, ten defendants were charged in the first wave of Operation Lowcountry Line for drug and firearms related offenses. Five of those defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

During the course of the investigation into these drug trafficking organizations, agents have seized a substantial amount of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and firearms.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority.

This case is being 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. Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

dsc_lowcountry_line_2_indictment.pdf

Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held tomorrow, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m., outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

Represented at the press conference will be U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr., and representatives of the following law enforcement agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston City Police Department; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Aviation Authority; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Mount Pleasant Police Department; and North Charleston Police Department.

 

WHEN:        Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m.

WHERE:      Outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters

                         100 Ann Edwards Lane

                         Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464

 

NOTE:  Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982.  Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes in advance.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that a press conference will be held this Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m., outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

Represented at the press conference will be U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr., and representatives of the following law enforcement agencies: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston City Police Department; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Aviation Authority; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Mount Pleasant Police Department; and North Charleston Police Department.

WHEN:       Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3 p.m.

WHERE:     Outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters

                         100 Ann Edwards Lane

                         Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464

NOTE:  Press inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Derek A. Shoemake, 843-813-0982.  Members of the media wishing to attend the remarks should gather outside the Mount Pleasant Police Headquarters at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes in advance.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- The Department of Justice yesterday filed a Statement of Interest in a South Carolina federal court to promote the proper and uniform interpretation of the Voting Rights Act.  The Statement of Interest is part of the Department of Justice’s continuing efforts around the country to enforce our nation’s federal voting rights laws.

The lawsuit in question, brought by private plaintiffs, involves constitutional and statutory challenges to South Carolina’s witness requirement for absentee ballots.  Although private plaintiffs’ constitutional claims relate to the COVID-19 pandemic, plaintiffs have also asked the court to enjoin South Carolina’s witness requirement permanently as a violation of Section 201 of the Voting Rights Act.

The Statement of Interest explains that Section 201 prohibits denial of the right to vote to citizens who fail to prove their qualifications by the voucher of registered voters or members of any other class.  However, South Carolina’s absentee witness requirement does not violate Section 201 because it neither requires witnesses to vouch for a voter’s qualifications nor limits the set of acceptable witnesses to registered voters or any other relevant class.  The Statement of Interest also explains that a claim under Section 201 must be heard by a three-judge federal district court.  The Statement of Interest does not take a position on any of the private plaintiffs’ other claims.

“The Voting Rights Act outlaws certain practices that deprive Americans of the right to vote because of race and other protected traits.  The Voting Rights Act does not outlaw all voting-related requirements enacted by the States,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division.  “Congress has entrusted the U.S. Department of Justice with enforcement of the Voting Rights Act and the other federal voting rights laws.  These laws protect the right of Americans to vote for their preferred candidates.  We will continue to enforce them fairly, including by explaining to courts the legal framework that governs challenges to the voting laws enacted by the States.”

“This office will always ensure that the people of South Carolina have their voices heard in the voting booth,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter M. McCoy, Jr.  “This filing indicates that we take that duty seriously, and we will continue to do so.”

Section 201 of the Voting Rights Act is a permanent, nationwide prohibition on the use of tests and devices in our elections.  These unlawful procedures include literacy tests, educational achievement or knowledge tests, good moral character requirements, and voucher requirements.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws is available on the Department of Justice website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws may be reported to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16, 2020.

“There is no more noble profession than serving as a police officer,” said United States Attorney General William P. Barr. “The men and women who protect our communities each day have not just devoted their lives to public service, they’ve taken an oath to give their lives in order to ensure our safety. And they do so not only in the face of hostility from those who reject our nation’s commitment to the rule of law, but also in the face of evolving adversity – such as an unprecedented global health pandemic. This week, I ask all Americans to join me in saying ‘thank you’ to our nation’s federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Their devotion and sacrifice to our peace and security will not be taken for granted.”

U.S. Attorney McCoy noted how important this week is here in South Carolina. “From Florence to Charleston, South Carolina has seen firsthand the bravery and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Some of these exceptional men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice, while others have suffered serious injuries, both physical and non-physical. I am honored to recognize these heroes.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.  

 Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve.

Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019. The District of South Carolina has lost four officers in the line of duty in the past year.

Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.

The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm (EDT).  The online event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Edward Daniel Kimpton, Jr., 25, of Columbia, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with federal wire fraud, mail fraud, and possession of machine gun violations.

Kimpton had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Paige Jones Gossett, where he waived a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing.  At this time, he remains in custody. 

According to the complaint, Kimpton engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme in which he fraudulently obtained high value firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories from confirmed and likely victims in Arizona, California, Florida, Washington, Indiana, Tennessee, and South Carolina.  During the execution of federal search warrants on April 28, 2020, Kimpton was found to have approximately 90 firearms, including semi-automatic and tactical firearms, more than 23,000 rounds of ammunition, five bump stocks, firearm scopes, tactical helmets, tactical gear, gas masks and gas mask filters, and body armor.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who brought the federal criminal complaint, and the United States Secret Service (USSS), who have been assisted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sherriff’s Office, Columbia Police Department, Cayce Police Department, and Batesburg-Leesville Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia Office and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard of the Greenville Office.

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.

U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

dsc_press_release_kimpton_complaint.pdf

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest.

The theme of this year’s contest was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools.

“Student voices are critical in the discussion about reducing gun violence and ensuring school safety,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I want to thank all the students and schools who participated in this year’s logo contest, and I congratulate our winners.”

The overall winning logo will be used in publications distributed statewide and displayed on the United States Attorney’s Office website. The winner from each grade division and overall winner are named below:

Winner K-2nd grade Division/OVERALL WINNER

Jackson Cornell, Ocean Drive Elementary School

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Winner 3rd-5th grade Division

Edward “EJ” Prince, Ocean Drive Elementary School

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Winner 6th-8th grade Division

Abigail Shoemake, Lugoff-Elgin Middle School

Lugoff, SC

Winner 9th-12th grade Division

Abigail Chapman, Digital Art and Design-Golden Strip Career Center

Greenville, SC

The winners were chosen from entries submitted by applicants across the entire state. Each division winner will receive a $50.00 award, and the overall winner, Jackson Cornell, will receive an additional $50.00 award. All students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.

This statewide contest fosters an opportunity for South Carolina students to express their thoughts on preventing gun violence in our schools and focuses on deterrence of juvenile gun violence and securing our school environments. The contest was open to all South Carolina grade school students.

The winning entries were chosen by a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth throughout the entire department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will provide the cash awards to the winners.

The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and reentry initiatives. The annual logo 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 amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. For more information on the contest and to view this year’s winning logos and winning logos from previous years, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Gregory Jay Evans, Jr., 28, and Talvin Jerode Robinson, 41, both of Cheraw, were sentenced via videoconference to 10 years and approximately five years, respectively, in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence presented to the court showed that for the past five years, Evans and Robinson were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Chesterfield and Darlington Counties.  On January 30, 2019, while responding to a fight in progress, deputies with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office stopped a car driven by Evans based on information that moments earlier someone had pointed a gun out of the window of a similar car.  During a search of the car, deputies seized over 11 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock .45 caliber pistol, both of which Evans later admitted belonged to him. Also, on two occasions in March 2019, Robinson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for law enforcement.  Both of these controlled purchases took place in Cheraw.  There were also a significant number of cooperating witnesses who were prepared to testify that, during the course of the conspiracy, Evans and Robinson sold them methamphetamine.  

Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Evans to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision.  Chief Judge Harwell sentenced Robinson to 68 months in federal prison, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hartsville Police Department. 

In light of the current pandemic, both defendants appeared via videoconference, while the attorneys and court staff were present in the courtroom. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that Curtis Goodman, 40, of Lynchburg, was sentenced via videoconference to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Evidence presented to the court showed that for more than a decade, Goodman was a supplier of cocaine to other drug dealers in Florence, Darlington, and Sumter Counties.  A number of those dealers who purchased drugs from Goodman were prosecuted and agreed to cooperate with the Government.  During the course of the conspiracy, Goodman sold them significant quantities of cocaine totaling more than five kilograms. Additionally, on February 15, 2019, based on information that individuals were smuggling drugs on a particular flight from San Francisco to Atlanta, detectives from the Clayton County Police Department used a drug detection dog to screen luggage from a flight at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.  The dog alerted on several pieces of luggage, one of which belonged to Goodman.  Detectives opened the luggage and found over 43 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages. 

Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Goodman to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clayton County, Georgia, Police Department. 

In light of the current pandemic, the defendant appeared via videoconference, while the attorneys and court staff were present in the courtroom. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime will join communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and celebrating victims’ rights, protections and services. This year’s observance takes place April 19-25 and features the theme, “Seek Justice| Ensure Victims' Rights | Inspire Hope.”

“Protecting the victims of criminal activity, and ensuring their rights are honored in the process, is a cornerstone of justice,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I would ask that everyone spend time this week lifting up those victims, who stand tall against the worst of the worst, and inspire all of us.”

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda. He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims. President Trump and his administration have implemented historic levels of support for victim assistance and victim compensation.

Here in South Carolina, in addition to its national partners in support of victims of crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works with state partners such as the South Carolina State Human Trafficking Task Force, the South Carolina Victims Assistance Network and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office of Crime Victims’ Compensation. Together, these groups provide essential services to victims, victim compensation, and many other resources.

“While we have made tremendous progress driving down crime and violence across the country, far too many Americans continue to suffer the pain and loss of criminal victimization,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, which oversees OVC. “This week, we stand by these survivors and their families, and we pledge our ongoing support to the countless men and women who serve them with such extraordinary skill and compassion.”

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The Office for Victims of Crime, part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory. Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns.

“Crime victims deserve to know that they have the encouragement and support of the American people,” said OVC Director Jessica E. Hart. “I hope that citizens throughout the nation will take the opportunity this week to remember all victims of crime and their heroic stories of survival. I encourage everyone to also find meaningful ways to express their appreciation to the many committed and compassionate service providers across the country who work tirelessly supporting these survivors.”

For more information on how to create your own public campaigns to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights online and at events throughout the year, please visit: https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2020/overview.html.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice continue to carry out their responsibility of protecting the civil rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and our nation’s veterans, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since COVID-19 has come to our shores, active duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserve have shouldered new burdens as they work to protect our country,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “We owe it to them to ensure that COVID-19 does not jeopardize their economic livelihood.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division enforce multiple federal laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and veterans. For example, on March 13, 2020, in response to the Coronavirus, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a stop movement order on domestic travel for all military personnel and their families until at least May 11, 2020, and possibly longer. Prior to this stop movement order, many servicemembers signed leases in anticipation of movement to a new duty station under previously received orders.  These servicemembers are now unable to occupy the leased property and must maintain housing at their current location. As a result, they face the prospective burden of paying rent at two properties for an uncertain amount of time. 

Consistent with federal and state law, the Department of Justice has strongly encouraged property managers to afford the men and women of the armed forces maximum flexibility to adjust their residential lease obligations as needed to comply with military orders during this uncertain time. The DOJ has further reminded employers and landlords to be mindful of the responsibilities they have with respect to members of the National Guard and Reserve under federal and state laws. These laws protect servicemembers’ prompt re-employment and continued pension benefits. These laws also protect servicemembers from discrimination based on their service.

South Carolina is uniquely impacted by the strain on the military community. The state has a substantial military presence: 8 major military installations; more than 55,000 servicemembers, putting South Carolina in the top ten states for active duty military and reserve populations; approximately 400,000 veterans; and over 9,000 Guardsmen. Over 300 South Carolina Guardsman have been activated as part of the current pandemic response, with the number likely to increase. 

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their rights have been violated under any of the statutes enforced by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division should visit the DOJ’s website at https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers, email the U.S. Attorney’s Office Servicemember and Veterans Initiative Coordinator at usasc.civilrights@usdoj.gov, or visit their nearest Armed Forces Assistance Program Office.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that D’Angelo Antonio Coakley, 30, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced via teleconference to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a series of armed robberies that culminated in a high-speed chase and shots fired at South Carolina Highway Patrol Officers.   

“It’s important for those who choose to commit crimes to know that even in the pandemic the U.S. Attorney’s Office is open for business,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “We will hold those who break the law accountable.”

Evidence presented to the court showed Coakley was charged along with three co-defendants: Julius Hamilton Washington, 29, of Summerville; Malik Juwan Gadist, 23, of Mount Pleasant; and Paul Anthony Walker, 24, of Goose Creek.  The four were indicted in 2018 and charged with robbing multiple businesses and business employees at gunpoint.  Information provided at Coakley’s guilty plea established that the four defendants conspired to commit multiple armed robberies of businesses, including a Dollar General Store in Awendaw, a Verizon Store in Summerville, and a Verizon Store in Waxhaw, North Carolina. 

The string of robberies ended shortly after the four robbed the Verizon Store in Waxhaw on February 10, 2017.  Like in other robberies, the four held the store employee at gunpoint while they stole cell phones and electronic devices from the store’s safe.  Immediately after the robbery the defendants were tracked from North Carolina into South Carolina, where Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol located their car and attempted to stop them.  The defendants did not stop, and instead fled at high speeds and fired shots at the pursuing Troopers.   No Troopers were hit by the shots, and the pursuing Troopers were eventually able to push the defendants’ car into a median where it crashed, and all four defendants fled.  Investigators were able to identify each defendant and determine their involvement in the crimes. 

Coakley is the third defendant to be sentenced.  Defendant Walker was previously sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, defendant Gadist was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, and defendant Washington has yet to be sentenced.

United States District Court Judge David C. Norton sentenced Coakley to 288 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The sentencing was conducted virtually by telephone under the CARES Act passed by Congress last month, so that the parties did not appear in the courtroom. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Waxhaw, North Carolina, Police Department. 

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.

Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Justin Chavis, of Williston, South Carolina, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with child exploitation, child pornography, and distribution of child pornography.

Chavis had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges, where he waived a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing. At this time, he remains in custody. According to the complaint, Chavis engaged in a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer wherein he shared sexually explicit images and videos of children that he claimed to have created.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who brought the federal criminal complaint within twenty-four hours of discovering the underlying facts. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James H. May of the Columbia Office.

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.

U.S. Attorney McCoy stated that all charges in this case are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

chavis_complaint.pdf

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that the Department of Justice is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local, and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The Department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.

“In light of this pandemic, these are especially dangerous times for our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This funding program will allow our state and local partners access to critical funds as they continue the mission of protecting the people of South Carolina.”

The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs, and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.

For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.  

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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at Derek.Shoemake@usdoj.gov.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established the South Carolina COVID Strike Team to pursue the prosecution and investigation of Coronavirus fraud schemes, hoarding, and price gouging activities.

The South Carolina COVID Strike Team is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal law enforcement officers, officers with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The federal agencies involved include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS), Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As needed, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team is also working with local law enforcement agencies throughout South Carolina.

“It is a sad truth that criminals are always willing to take advantage of every opportunity to prey on the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “In these unprecedented times, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, and local partners remain vigilant, and we will prosecute those who take advantage of Americans during this pandemic.”

There have been numerous cases of fraud, hoarding, and price gauging across the country. The schemes range from fake COVID-19 tests, hoarding of personal protective medical equipment, and scams related to the upcoming COVID-19 economic impact payments. According to U.S. Attorney McCoy, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team began receiving, and responding to, leads related to Coronavirus activity almost immediately after standing up.

Members of the public can report suspected fraud schemes and price gouging related to Coronavirus by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov. The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components, to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud schemes.  The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.

To find more Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at Derek.Shoemake@usdoj.gov.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that in its continued efforts to support the commitments in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in Advocacy Day for Access and Independence.

This annual event was led by Able SC, which is a Center for Independent Living organization, a consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability nonprofit that provides an array of independent living services to people of all ages with all types of disabilities.  Its mission includes empowering people with disabilities to live active and self-determined lives.  Traditionally held on the South Carolina State House grounds, this year Able SC Executive Director Kimberly Tissot, Director of Advocacy Robbie Kopp, and the Able SC staff conducted the event virtually through Facebook and YouTube. State legislators, officials, and activists from the disability community spoke about the barriers that South Carolinians with disabilities regularly face and the ways they can be remedied.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Sneed spoke on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.   AUSA Sneed’s remarks focused on the Department of Justice’s unflagging support for and enforcement of the ADA.  Sneed highlighted how 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the ADA.  He also discussed the ADA Voting Initiative, which was launched in 2015 by the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  The initiative’s goal is to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process.  DOJ and other U.S. Attorney Offices have opened several investigations across the country to survey whether barriers to access exist.  In South Carolina in recent years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office surveyed polling places in Richland and Anderson Counties and has ADA Polling Place Agreements in place with these entities.  

“People with disabilities who live in South Carolina deserve equal access to polling places, and we are committed to making sure that they have it,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy.

The year 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. The Justice Department will continue to use its enforcement and technical assistance tools to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., of the District of South Carolina, announced today that the U.S. Attorney's Office is extending until April 10, 2020, the deadline for submissions for the 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest. This statewide contest focuses on preventing gun violence in our schools and is open to grade school students of all ages. With numerous schools currently suspended due to COVID-19 and our students learning from home, McCoy announced the deadline would be extended.

All entries can be submitted by mail and should be addressed to the United States Attorney’s Office, 55 Beattie Place, Suite 700, Greenville, South Carolina 29601. Upon receipt, the entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. 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 for a total of $100.

The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will provide the awards to the winners.

If your student is interested in participating, 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. Additionally, interested students or their parents can call Assistant United States Attorney Justin Holloway at 864-282-2100.

PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through enforcement, re-entry, and prevention initiatives. The annual logo 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 amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. For more information on the contest and to view winning logos from previous years, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Attorney General William P. Barr announced today the appointment and swearing in of Peter M. McCoy, Jr. as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546.

As Interim U.S. Attorney, McCoy is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of South Carolina. He supervises an office of approximately 62 Assistant United States Attorneys, 75 support staff, and 18 contract support staff, all of whom are responsible for prosecuting federal crimes affecting the district, including narcotics and firearms cases, gang violence, human trafficking, white-collar crime, securities fraud, public corruption, terrorism and civil rights violations. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

“As a former prosecutor, I am honored to have been appointed as Interim U.S. Attorney for one of the greatest federal judicial districts in the country,” said McCoy. “I look forward to working with federal, state, and local partners to continue the important and excellent work of our office.”

Before being sworn in as Interim U.S. Attorney, McCoy was a partner at McCoy and Stokes Law Firm. McCoy also served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and focused his legislative work on protecting children and keeping neighborhoods safe.

A Charleston, S.C., resident and graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Regent University Law School, McCoy spent more than five years as a criminal prosecutor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, handling thousands of crimes involving violence, guns, and drugs. As a legislator, McCoy was the lead sponsor of legislation requiring the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse as well as legislation establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for anyone who commits a crime while out on bond. He worked to pass statutes that ensure violent repeat criminal offenders do not remain out on bond if they continue to commit crimes.

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

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of the District of South Carolina today invited members of the local community to nominate any outstanding South Carolina law enforcement officers for the fourth annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.

Attorney General William P. Barr recently launched the nomination period for this Award.  Awardees selected from nominations received during this period will be announced at a ceremony to be held later this year. 

“Our success at the federal level would not be possible without the support of the fantastic local law enforcement here in South Carolina,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “I would encourage anyone who knows one of these outstanding officers to nominate them for this prestigious award.”

The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local or tribal sworn, rank-and-file police officers and deputies for exceptional efforts in community policing.  The awarded officer(s), deputy(ies) or trooper(s) will have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations or innovations in policing.

“Law enforcement is the toughest job in America.  The challenges our officers face on a daily basis are more complex, more difficult, and more extensive than ever before,” said Attorney General William P. Barr.  “We are grateful for every man and woman in blue for their dedication and sacrifice.  Among those who have answered the call of public service, several individuals in the past year performed in ways that surpassed even the highest expectations of the profession.  I look forward to recognizing these individuals with the fourth annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.”

President Trump has established clear directives for the department – with three executive orders – demonstrating his strong support of the law enforcement community.  These executive orders commit the department to working in tandem with state and local law enforcement to restore the rule of law, reduce violent crime, dismantle criminal gangs and combat the growing drug epidemic.  Our support to the dedicated men and women of law enforcement is strong and today’s announcement is in furtherance of the president’s directives.  The Department of Justice is committed to supporting the law enforcement community that keeps this great nation safe and makes it even safer.  Today we honor our law enforcement officers by announcing the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.

Within each category, an award will be given to law enforcement agencies serving small, medium, and large jurisdictions:

• Small: Agencies serving populations of fewer than 50,000

• Medium: Agencies serving populations of 50,000 to 250,000

• Large: Agencies serving populations of more than 250,000

By distinguishing and rewarding these efforts, the department strives to promote and sustain its national commitment to policing and to advance proactive policing practices that are fair and effective.

With the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, the Office of the Attorney General recognizes that the nation’s more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies, individual officers, deputies, and troopers are working hard to keep our communities safe.

For more information about the Attorney General’s Award and to submit an application for nominees, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/policing-award.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of the District of South Carolina today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.

In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes.

“In these extraordinary times, criminals are taking advantage of the most vulnerable Americans through various COVID-19 phony schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “The District of South Carolina, and the Department of Justice, will stay vigilant and will prosecute those who engage in COVID-19 fraud, hoarding, and other scams.”

Some examples of these schemes include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.      

In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities.   The District of South Carolina’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake.

The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes.  The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.

To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

 

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick, of South Carolina, today announced that nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their communities.

“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

 

Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104

Total Available $7.2 million                                   Deadline 4/27/2020

 

Improving Community Supervision Outcomes Through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096

Total Available $3 million                                     Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20

Total Available $13.2 million                                 Deadline 4/27/2020  

 

Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281

Total Available $4 million                                     Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295

Total Available $6 million                                     Deadline 5/5/2020    

 

Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa

Total Available: Determined after selection             Deadline 4/10/2020

 

Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110

Total Available $13.5 million                                 Deadline 5/4/2020

 

Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680

Total Available $4 million                                     Deadline 4/28/2020

 

Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf

Total Available $7 million                                     Deadline 4/28/2020

 

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.

 

#####

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence.

“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to tighten school security and improve the reporting of threats. 

A number of funding opportunities for school safety are currently open, with another opening in the near future: 

 

Research and Evaluation on School Safety

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $5 million                                     Deadline 4/13/2020  

 

STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308

Total Available $71.4 million                                 Deadline 4/13/2020

 

Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence  

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926

Total Available $7 million                                     Deadline 4/27/2020

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.

 

#####

 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

 

Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.

“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors. 

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. 

 

Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351

Total Available $1.8 million                          Deadline 4/6/20202 (Extended)

 

Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking

Total Available $22 million                           Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Preventing Trafficking of Girls

Total Available $1.7 million                          Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons  

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324

Total Available $2.5 million                          Deadline 4/20/2020  

 

Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $16.5 million                        Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $2 million                            Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program

Total Available $5 million                            Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking  

Total Available $6 million                            Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking

Total Available $8 million                            Opens week of 3/16/2020

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.

#####

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

 

Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina, today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.

“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime. 

A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open: 

Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098

Total Available $1.75 million                                          Deadline 5/14/2020       

 

Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20

Total Available $27 million                                             Deadline 5/21/2020

 

Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims

https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf

Total Available: $19 million                                           Deadline: 5/4/2020

        

Family Drug Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090

Total Available $18.2       million                                    Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)

 

Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754

Total Available $28.1                                                   Deadline 5/5/2020

 

Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051

Total Available $7.2 million                                            Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)

 

Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930

Total Available $48 million                                             Deadline 4/13/2020  

 

Opioid Affected Youth Initiative

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352

Total Available $9 million                                              Deadline 4/20/2020

 

Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275

Total Available $1 million                                              Deadline 4/20/2020       

 

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners

https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20

Total Available $4.5 million                                            Deadline 4/6/2020

 

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.

#####

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

 

Spartanburg, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Detric McGowan, aka “Fat,” 47, of Piedmont, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy involving cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol; possessing a kilogram or more of heroin with the intent to distribute; conspiring to launder money; obstruction of justice/witness tampering; and obstruction of justice/retaliation. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that beginning as early as 2016, law enforcement in Greenwood County began to see a rise in the number of opioid-abuse related cases, drug overdose deaths, and overdose non-fatalities attributed particularly to heroin and fentanyl toxicity.  Commonly found at the opioid overdose incidents and routinely seized by local law enforcement were counterfeit 30 milligram-size blue prescription pain pills laced with heroin and/or fentanyl and scored with a “V” on one side and “4812” on the other side.

Based on human intelligence, advanced electronic surveillance, the execution of search warrants, and other investigative techniques, law enforcement determined that McGowan was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Upstate of South Carolina, primarily in Laurens and Greenwood Counties.  The organization was responsible for the distribution of in excess of $1 million dollars’ worth of heroin, cocaine, and/or fentanyl in the Upstate and elsewhere.  Police seized in excess of 20 kilograms of heroin and approximately $1 million during the investigation.  McGowan was indicted along with several co-conspirators in February 2019 and taken into custody.

In July 2019, McGowan began to discuss with a person who was incarcerated with him having his prosecutor and at least one witness killed. This person alerted law enforcement to the threat and an immediate investigation began. The evidence showed McGowan had become frustrated with his legal position and desired to have his prosecutor and a witness killed. McGowan was recorded agreeing to pay the person $10,000 to kill the prosecutor and witness and providing information about how to find the targets. He also provided a telephone number and wrote down the name of the witness, so that upon release the cooperator could carry out the plan. McGowan confessed to the FBI of the plot he had put in motion.

United States District Court Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced McGowan to 420 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The drug case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.  The threat was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jim May, Jason Peavy, Sloan Ellis, and Katie Stoughton prosecuted the case.

#####

 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that a federal jury convicted Quentin John Fishburne, a/k/a “Q”, 40, of Walterboro, on numerous firearms charges, including two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the jury showed that in March 2018, Officers with the Walterboro Police Department discovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol under Fishburne’s seat at a traffic safety checkpoint. At the time, Fishburne was on federal supervision following a 2017 conviction for aiding and abetting attempted murder in aid of racketeering. This conviction arose from a November 6, 2015, shooting in Colleton County, in which members and associates of Walterboro’s violent street gang disputed the outcome of an illegal car race and then attempted to rob a man holding money wagered on the race. Two men were shot, but authorities were not able to identify all of the shooters. Fishburne admitted to being an associate of the gang and driving another gang member from the scene of the shooting, and he received a time-served sentence. 

Shortly after Fishburne was arrested with the .40 caliber pistol, his girlfriend, who had purchased the pistol from a Walterboro gun store, claimed that she had inadvertently left the gun in the vehicle Fishburne was driving. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) became suspicious, however, when they discovered that Fishburne had previously been arrested with another gun purchased by the same woman.

Additionally, ballistic analysis showed the gun discovered under Fishburne’s seat matched three .40 caliber shell casings recovered from the scene of the November 6, 2015, shooting involving the gang, the same shooting that led to Fishburne’s 2017 conviction.

Fishburne was also convicted of possessing another firearm purchased by the same girlfriend, which was recovered by deputies of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office following a high speed chase involving Fishburne in 2014. In this incident, Fishburne fled from deputies and reached speeds of over 90 miles-an-hour on country roads while he and his passenger brandished handguns at the pursuing officer.

The jury heard testimony from the officers and deputies who recovered these firearms from Fishburne, the ATF special agent who uncovered the pattern of Fishburne’s girlfriend providing him with guns, and a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) firearms expert who linked the .40 caliber pistol discovered with Fishburne in 2018 to shell casings from the November 6, 2015 shooting. The jury took only three hours to find Fishburne guilty on all charges.

Fishburne previously spent ten years in a Georgia prison after killing his 18-year-old cousin over a dice game when he was 14 years old.

Fishburne faces of maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. United States District Judge David C. Norton, who presided over the day-and-a-half long trial, will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the ATF, SLED, the Walterboro Police Department, and the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

This case was also made possible by investigative leads generated from 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson, both of the Charleston office, prosecuted the case.

#####

 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Florence, South Carolina ---  Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Kianna Parrot, 31, of Florence, was sentenced to more than a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to accessing a protected computer for purposes of stealing benefits from disabled social security beneficiaries.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that from September 27, 2017, to June 29, 2018, Parrot – who then worked as a claims specialist for the Social Security Administration in Florence – used her government computer to defraud beneficiaries out of their Supplemental Security Insurance payments. The SSI program protects the most vulnerable members of society by paying benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources.

Officials with the Social Security Administration first noticed suspicious deposits to Parrot’s personal accounts from SSI accounts. The ensuing investigation revealed that Parrot diverted SSI underpayments intended for legitimate beneficiaries to her own account.  She accomplished this theft by using her Social Security Administration computer and personal identifying number to access the social security records of individuals owed SSI underpayments. Once she accessed these records, she would initiate a payment transaction which listed the names and social security numbers of the true beneficiaries, but which listed Parrot’s banking information. Parrot ultimately stole more than $70,000.

United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Parrot to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Derek A. Shoemake of the Florence office prosecuted this case. 

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Ramone Baldwin, 25, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that on November 13, 2018, Charleston Police Department officers attempted to stop a car driven by Baldwin for traffic violations. The car fled, and the driver threw a bag out of the window. The officers retrieved the bag, which contained cocaine, crack cocaine, pills, and a loaded Springfield XD40 pistol. Other officers located the car and Baldwin. Further investigation located pictures of Baldwin with guns and showed the methods Baldwin used to advertise the sale of his drugs. Baldwin, who has been in custody since his arrest, was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his felony record.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Baldwin to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Charleston Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted this case.

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 The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Greenville, South Carolina ---  Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Bruce Allen Howland, 58, of Easley, South Carolina, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating federal drug distribution laws. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing showed that on February 28, 2019, in Pickens County, two confidential sources under the supervision of law enforcement placed recorded calls to Howland and arranged a meet at his trailer.  On the call, Howland told the confidential sources that he was “good,” meaning that he had drugs available to be purchased.  The confidential sources were searched and equipped with recording devices before going to Howland’s property. They purchased two grams of methamphetamine using funds provided by law enforcement.  They left the trailer, turned over the drugs to law enforcement, and were searched again. 

Based on this controlled purchase, law enforcement obtained a search warrant and executed it.  Howland was in the trailer and refused to open the door, and thus forced entry was made.  Investigators seized three pounds of crystal meth and one pound of liquid meth. Howland had a lengthy history of drug distribution dating back to 1992.

The case was investigated by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.  Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., sentenced Howland to 300 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.  Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.  

#####

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Jarrell Boyan, 29, of Columbia, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law.

The facts presented to the court showed that on October 6, 2016, Boyan was working as a Lieutenant with the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) at Kirkland Correctional Institute in Columbia. While he was on duty, an inmate, identified in the Indictment by the initials K.S., damaged the light fixture inside of his cell. In response, then-Lieutenant Boyan, the ranking officer on scene, directed several officers to assist him in inspecting the cell. Boyan devised a plan to apply restraints to K.S. and remove him from his cell. Surveillance video captured the events unfolding in the wing where K.S.’s cell was located; however, there was no camera trained on the inside of the cell. On the surveillance video, Boyan and two other officers can be seen walking down the wing and entering the victim’s cell. Once inside the cell, the victim gave some resistance and the officers used force to secure the victim in handcuffs.

The officers soon removed the victim from his cell and safely restrained him in handcuffs in the hallway. Boyan and his subordinates conducted a search of the victim’s person and located a homemade metal knife, commonly referred to as a shank. The officers removed the shank from the victim’s person and secured it at a safe distance away from the cell and off of the wing. However, several minutes later, Boyan directed the restrained victim back inside the cell, where Boyan and two subordinate officers applied additional force to K.S. Moments later, Boyan is seen exiting the cell and walking off of the wing and out of view of the camera, where he retrieved the shank. Boyan then placed the shank in his pocket, returned to the wing, and went back into the victim’s cell.

Inside the victim’s cell, shielded from camera view, Boyan exposed the shank and began stabbing the victim several times. The subordinate officers looked on and continued to physically restrain the victim as Boyan repeatedly caused injury to the victim. The victim sustained several injuries, including four stab wounds to his abdomen and punctures to his kidney and liver. The victim received immediate medical attention, but he has required additional surgeries. In the hours following the stabbing, Boyan authored a false report of the incident and directed his subordinate deputies to do the same.

SCDC immediately responded to this incident, conducting an internal investigation and partnering with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue fighting alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those in positions of public trust are held accountable when they abuse that trust,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “We are grateful to SCDC and the FBI for their work in bringing this defendant to justice.”

“When a corrections officer breaks the public trust, they must be held accountable for their actions,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. “The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office working alongside the SCDC Police Services Division did a great job bringing this case to justice.”

Jody Norris, FBI Special Agent in Charge, stated, “Citizens should trust their law enforcement officers, including correctional officers, to act in accordance with the Constitution.  When that trust is betrayed the FBI will continue to work with our partners, such as the South Carolina Department of Corrections, to ensure justice is served.  This case demonstrates the steadfastness of our commitment.”      

Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case. 

#####

 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

Charleston, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Carlos Ravenel, 37, of North Charleston, and Gordon William Brock, 49, of Mount Pleasant, have each pleaded guilty in federal court to Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in Death.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on November 20, 2018, EMS, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and members of the Charleston DEA Task Force responded to a 911 call regarding an opioid overdose in Mount Pleasant. When EMS arrived, they discovered the male victim had already died. Toxicology and autopsy reports showed that heroin and fentanyl toxicity caused his death.

While officers were at the home, they were notified that a woman had also overdosed from opioids and was at a nearby hospital. Law enforcement met with the woman, who was recovering from an overdose from the same drugs. A swift investigation ensued to find both the dealer and the deadly batch of drugs.

The evidence led law enforcement to conduct a search at the home of Gordon William Brock, where officers found heroin and fentanyl. Further investigation revealed that the day before the two overdoses, Carlos Ravenel sold a heroin-fentanyl mix to one of his sub-distributors. The sub-distributor then sold the drugs to Brock. The following day, Brock distributed the lethal drugs to the male victim, who was with the female victim at the time.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentences after he has received and reviewed sentencing reports prepared by the United States Probation Office. The maximum penalty for Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in Death is imprisonment for Life and/or a fine of $1,000,000.

The case was investigated by agents of the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Charleston DEA Task Force, with assistance provided by Charleston Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston is prosecuting the case.

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In 2018, Charleston County had the second highest number of opioid-involved deaths in the state. Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin, significantly increasing the risk for overdose, and a person who obtains drugs illegally may not know the substance contains fentanyl. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance misuse, you can find treatment options in your area at http://www.daodas.sc.gov/treatment/local-providers/.

 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Brian William Rose of Aiken County was sentenced in federal court for his involvement in a methamphetamine and heroin conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Rose to 24 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on the drug conspiracy and a concurrent 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon. There is no parole in the federal system. 

Co-defendants Ricardo Dunbar, James Clinton Gunter, Jr., Joseph Price Langford, and Scott Dylan Green, also of Aiken County, were previously sentenced for their involvement in the conspiracy.

Evidence presented to the court when Rose pleaded guilty established that the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation into the narcotics distribution activities of co-defendants Kenneth Evans and Eddie Brockington.  Evans is an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Brockington is an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections.  Through controlled purchases and other investigative techniques, agents learned that members of the conspiracy purchased and distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and/or heroin for Evans and Brockington. Some of the individuals charged were responsible for transporting multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin into South Carolina and then distributing the drugs throughout the state.  Brockington and Evans have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge against them and are awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.  Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- The United States Attorney's Office is sponsoring the 17th 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 contest is open to all South Carolina grade school students and entries will be categorized into four grade divisions: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grades. A winner will be selected from each of the four divisions, and each division winner will receive $50. An overall winning logo or meme will be chosen from the four division winners and will receive an additional $50 for a total of $100.

The winning entries will be selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state encouraging children and promoting community awareness of the consequences of juvenile crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation will be providing the awards to the winners.

Entries should be consistent with the theme “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” The deadline for submissions is March 27, 2020. 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.

PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through enforcement, re-entry, and prevention initiatives. The annual logo 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 amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. For more information on the contest and to view winning logos from previous years, please visit

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Greenville, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Zachary Shakur Stephens, age 26, of Newberry, was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and has been detained following a hearing in federal court in Greenville.

The United States Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) secured a federal arrest warrant pursuant to a criminal complaint alleging Stephens had unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition.  ATF, with the assistance of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, arrested Stephens the same day.  He appeared in court for a preliminary hearing and to address the issue of bond.  Stephens was ordered detained without bond pending resolution of the federal charge against him.

During the hearing, an ATF special agent informed the court that Stephens was involved in a traffic stop on October 31, 2019, and found to be in possession of a loaded firearm.  Federal law prohibits Stephens from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior felony conviction for strong arm robbery.  Stephens told investigators with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office that he was a member of a gang and he carried a gun to protect himself from rival gang members living in Newberry County.  At the time of the traffic stop, Stephens was out on bond for a state court weapons charge from August 2019 that also involved the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  

As a result of the federal charge, Stephens faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  The offense listed in the arrest warrant is merely an allegation, and Stephens is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Glenn Quanta Pernell, 41, and Joseph Umphlett, Sr., 39, both inmates in the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in separate major drug trafficking rings run from inside prison walls using contraband cell phones.

“Because of uncontrolled access to contraband cell phones, inmates already serving lengthy state sentences for serious drug convictions were able to continue bringing deadly, addictive drugs into our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Crick.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to lock arms with the Department of Corrections and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to protect both the general public and the prison population from the public safety threat caused by contraband phones.”  

“These inmates were able to commit crimes while behind bars because of contraband cell phones,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the S.C. Department of Corrections. “I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for bringing these men to justice.”

Glenn Quanta Pernell was sentenced to life in federal prison after jury convicted him of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin, in addition to several other drug-related charges.  During an 8-day trial in August 2019, the jury heard hours of recorded conversations between Pernell and his coconspirators.  According to the evidence at trial, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) began investigating several Columbia-based drug dealers in 2016.  Wiretaps on their phones revealed that the dealers were being supplied cocaine and heroin from an organization in Marion County. 

The leader of that organization was Pernell, an inmate serving two 25-year consecutive state sentences for drug trafficking.  Pernell employed a network of people, including his mother, Hattie Pernell, and his sister, Whitney Pernell, to purchase drugs from his Mexican drug suppliers, to deliver drugs to his customers, and to collect and store drug proceeds from the sales.  Pernell ran his operation from within prison walls at Lieber Correctional Institution, using contraband cell phones to direct and oversee the daily operations of the organization. 

FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris stated, "Today's sentencing is the culmination of a comprehensive and coordinated drug trafficking investigation by the FBI and our dedicated partners.  These law enforcement professionals proved again drug trafficking enterprises operating anywhere in South Carolina will be met with a committed cadre of Agents, Officers and Deputies that will dismantle the trafficking network and bring those behind it to account." 

This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Mullins Police Department, and the South Carolina National Guard, and with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor, Benjamin N. Garner, and Christopher D. Taylor of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

Joseph Umphlett, Sr., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.  His federal sentence will be served consecutive to a separate life sentence he is serving in SCDC.   

Evidence presented in the case established that on October 1, 2015, Umphlett was sentenced in Berkeley County General Sessions Court to life without parole for trafficking methamphetamine, his third serious drug conviction in state court.  While serving his life sentence in Lieber Correctional Institution, Umphlett began using contraband cell phones to lead a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine throughout Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over five kilograms of methamphetamine and over three kilograms of heroin.  Umphlett was indicted along with 11 co-defendants, including his mother, Valerie Collins.  Collins was previously sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for her role in the conspiracy.  

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said, “DEA is fully committed to tirelessly pursuing criminals who sell drugs, whether they’re selling them on the streets or inside a prison. This criminal was already serving time in prison for drug trafficking. He continued to sell methamphetamine and heroin while incarcerated. His criminal activity landed him even more deserving time in prison. The spirited level of law enforcement cooperation and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office made this investigation a success.”

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Summerville Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Corey Kimani Sanders, age 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Evidence presented to the court showed that early Sunday morning, September 15, 2019, officers with the Columbia Police Department responded to a “ShotSpotter” alert of numerous shots fired on Oakland Avenue. The technology known as “ShotSpotter” relies on acoustic sensors to pinpoint where gunfire occurs. Information from the sensors is sent to officers of the Columbia Police Department and 9-1-1 dispatchers through real-time digital alerts. Upon canvassing the area, officers located Sanders and learned that he was in possession of two firearms, a Glock 9mm handgun and a Diamondback 5.56mm pistol with a 50-round drum magazine, as well as ammunition. The investigation also revealed that Sanders was a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Sanders, a gang member out on state bonds at the time of the incident, has prior state convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and assault with intent to kill, both of which involved shootings.

Sanders faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs accepted the guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

The charge against Sanders was the result of an investigation by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case. 

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.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

NOTE: The notice can be found here. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina today concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the conditions at the Broad River Road Complex in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Broad River Road Complex fails to protect youth from youth-on-youth violence and places youth in punitive, prolonged isolation. 

As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Department provided the facility with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.   

“Youth held in custody for rehabilitation are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees reasonable safety from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation found reasonable cause to conclude that youth in the facility are at substantial risk of serious physical harm from other youth and that youth are regularly subjected to harmful isolation. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with South Carolina to resolve the Department’s concerns.”

The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina initiated the investigation in September 2017 under CRIPA, which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at http://www.justice.gov/crt.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

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The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina today concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the conditions at the Broad River Road Complex in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Broad River Road Complex fails to protect youth from youth-on-youth violence and places youth in punitive, prolonged isolation. 

As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Department provided the facility with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.   

“Youth held in custody for rehabilitation are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees reasonable safety from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation found reasonable cause to conclude that youth in the facility are at substantial risk of serious physical harm from other youth and that youth are regularly subjected to harmful isolation. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with South Carolina to resolve the Department’s concerns.”

The Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for District of South Carolina initiated the investigation in September 2017 under CRIPA, which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Marvin Leroy Smith-Capers, Jr., 37, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to arson.  United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the hearing and will sentence Smith-Capers at a later date.

According to facts presented to the court, on January 8, 2018, just after midnight, Smith-Capers set fire to Joy’s Touch of Class in downtown Holly Hill after spending much of the previous two hours stealing merchandise from the store.  The flames spread to two adjacent businesses, Goldstein’s and the Super 10, causing damage to all three in excess of $1 million.

Holly Hill police officers first noticed suspicious activity when the white GMC Yukon driven by Smith-Capers recklessly pulled into the road opposite their direction of travel.  They followed the Yukon, which then accelerated down Railroad Street, ultimately losing control.  At the accident scene, officers discovered the overturned Yukon, an ejected and unresponsive Smith-Capers, and merchandise scattered about.  This merchandise was traced back to Joy’s.

Smith-Capers was also linked to the scene of the fire through the ankle monitor he was wearing as part of a previous probationary sentence.  GPS data tracked Smith-Capers as he moved back and forth between the store and his vehicle as he loaded the Yukon with stolen merchandise.

Smith-Capers faces a minimum term of five years in federal prison, and a maximum of 20 years.  He is also subject to a maximum $250,000 fine, and he will be responsible for restitution to the store owners.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Holly Hill Police and Fire Departments, the Orangeburg County Fire District, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Scott Dylan Green, Joseph Price Langford, Ricardo Dunbar, and James Clinton Gunter, Jr., all of Aiken County, were sentenced in federal court for their involvement in a methamphetamine and heroin conspiracy. 

United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Green to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision.  Langford was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision.  Dunbar was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by 8 years of court-ordered supervision.  Gunter was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of court-ordered supervision.   There is no parole in the federal system.

Evidence presented to the court when the defendants pleaded guilty established that the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation into the narcotics distribution activities of co-defendants Kenneth Evans and Eddie Brockington.  Evans is an inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Brockington is an inmate in the Georgia Department of Corrections.  Through controlled purchases and other investigative techniques, agents learned that members of the conspiracy purchased and distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and/or heroin for Evans and Brockington. Some of the individuals charged were responsible for transporting multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin into South Carolina and then distributing the drugs throughout the state.  Brockington and Evans have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge against them and are awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.  Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Phillip Michael King, 33, of Orangeburg, was charged in federal court this week in a one-count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  King also faces South Carolina state charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a stolen handgun, and possession of a stolen handgun with a damaged or removed serial number, in relation to an incident in which officers of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety were shot at on September 22, 2018.

The federal indictment alleges that on September 22, 2018, King was in possession of a Smith & Wesson, Model SW9VE, 9mm pistol and various rounds of 9mm ammunition.  The indictment also alleges that at the time of the possession, federal law prohibited King from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of at least one prior felony conviction.

King faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release on the federal indictment returned this week.  If the court determines enhanced penalties apply based on the King’s prior criminal record, King may face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000, and 5 years of supervised release.

The charge against King was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office.

This case is 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 Acting U.S. Attorney 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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Florence, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Shawntavius Ramone Johnson, 26, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on September 26, 2018, officers with the Horry County Police Department were dispatched to a location in Surfside Beach in reference to a tip that Johnson was at a residence and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.  The tip also indicated Johnson had drugs at the location.  When officers arrived, Johnson was taken into custody.  A search of the location revealed cocaine, cocaine base (“crack” cocaine), and methamphetamine, as well as body armor, .40 caliber Glock magazines, ammunition, a scale, and a clown mask.    

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced Johnson to 145 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Myrtle Beach Police Department, and the Horry County Police Department. 

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.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that ResMed Corp., a manufacturer of durable medical equipment (DME) for sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders, has agreed to pay more than $37.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act for paying kickbacks to DME suppliers, sleep labs, and other health care providers. 

The settlement resolves allegations that ResMed used various sales and promotional schemes to unlawfully induce the sales of ResMed equipment.  The schemes included providing free call center services and free and below cost masks and machines.

“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 Acting U.S. Attorney Crick. “This settlement represents another example of our district’s commitment to prosecuting schemes that undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care system.”

The settlement resolves five lawsuits originally brought by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act.  The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in the recovery.  The whistleblowers will collectively receive a roughly $6.2 million share of the settlement. 

This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice; the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of South Carolina, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of Iowa, and the Eastern District of New York; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Health Agency Office of General Counsel; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.  

Former Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Aldrich investigated this case on behalf of the District of South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorneys Tina Cundari and James Leventis assisted on the case. 

The claims resolved are allegations only.  There has been no determination of liability. 

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

Florence, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that Donna Faye Shird, 41, of Florence, was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to aid in the preparation and filing of false federal income tax returns. 

The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Donna, and her codefendant Felicia Shird, operated a business known as Donna’s Income Tax Service, which provided tax preparation and filing services for customers.  During the period from 2012 and 2017, both Donna and Felicia began routinely adding fictitious information to the personal tax returns of customers in order to artificially increase the amount of tax refund the customers would receive from the IRS.  Investigators discovered that customers of Donna’s Income Tax Service provided correct tax related information to the Shirds with the expectation that they would accurately prepare and file the returns for the customers.  Instead, the Shirds would create returns which falsely claimed deductions, credits, exemptions and other tax benefits to which the taxpayers were not entitled.  Falsely claimed items included child and dependent care credits, business profits and losses, education credits, residential energy credits, and earned income credits.  As a result, customers received fraudulently inflated tax refunds and Donna’s Income Tax Service attracted more customers based on their reputation for producing such large refunds.  The illegal operations of Donna’s Income Tax Service, and the fraudulent conduct by the Shirds, resulted in a significant loss of tax revenue for the United States Government.          

Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Shird to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.  

The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney A. Lance Crick announced today that 19 defendants from Lexington County and surrounding areas have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in related methamphetamine distribution conspiracies, which involved the possession and use of dozens of firearms:

Willie Ricardo Gordon, a/k/a “Rico,” 35, was convicted following a jury trial in January 2019 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and sentenced to 420 months in federal prison;

Marcus Young, a/k/a “Lay Low,” 31, was convicted following a jury trial in January 2019 of conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of firearm, and sentenced to 420 months;

Rafael Redmond, a/k/a “Pockets,” 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 200 months;

Jennifer Logan, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 180 months;

Andrew Michael Chamberlain, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 160 months;

James Lloyd, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months;

Jeremy Davis, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 360 months;

Robert Pendleton, a/k/a “Bobby,” 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 100 months;

David Peeples, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months;

Terri Moore, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 270 months;

Brian Lorick, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 168 months;

John Phillip Drawdy, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 264 months;

Leigh Antley McCamy, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 71 months;

Blake Allen Smith, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months;

Kimberly Hartley, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 151 months;

Joseph Smith, 41, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 60 months & 1 day;

Robert Flowers, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to 156 months;

Jeffrey Shane Tager, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 78 months; and

Clinton French, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 262 months.

“Methamphetamine is a powerful drug with increasing prevalence across our state, and in Lexington County in particular,” said Acting United States Attorney Crick.  “The drug is dangerous enough on its own, but the added presence of firearms and violence made these conspiracies a particularly egregious threat to the community. I am grateful to ATF and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for their continued partnership in our fight to reduce violent crime and drug distribution.”

ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Mein stated, “The outcome of this investigation means that very dangerous individuals have been taken out of our neighborhoods for a very long time. This case highlights a truly collaborative effort and the ongoing commitment from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep up the fight against violent crime in our communities.” 

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon stated, “The safety and security of Lexington County residents is always top of mind for the men and women of my office as we focus on getting drugs out of our community and putting dealers in jail. Thanks to the strong relationships we have with our federal, state and local partners, there’s a united front against violent crime in our neighborhoods.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. It 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 prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.