District of South Carolina

Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Patrick Rashad Durham, aka “Pat Pat,” 29, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for transporting an individual for the purposes of prostitution.

Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2014, Durham facilitated the prostitution of a woman from South Carolina to North Carolina and Florida. Durham severely assaulted the victim on at least ten occasions. He has prior convictions for Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Strong Arm Robbery, Criminal Domestic Violence, and Assault and Battery 3rd Degree.

United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Durham 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.  Durham will also be required to pay $10,000 in restitution for the victim, which was ordered as forfeiture.

The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Lea Schoen and Carrie Fisher Sherard prosecuted the case.

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Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Shanteley Latrice Howard, 33, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit money.   

Evidence presented to the court showed that Howard was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in multiple states, including South Carolina and North Carolina.  This conspiracy, which began in 2015, included at least nine co-conspirators who were responsible for making and passing over $100,000 in counterfeit money.  Howard passed counterfeit $100 and $50 bills on multiple occasions at businesses in Florence and other locations in South Carolina.

United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Howard 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 the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dennis Michael Martin, 53, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.  

Evidence presented to the court showed that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a report through its CyberTipline that an email address was being used to upload child pornography to the internet on April 16, 2016. Further investigation revealed the email address belonged to Martin, who was a registered sex offender already under supervision by the United States Probation Office for a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography.  Martin also has a prior state conviction for Child Molestation in the Second Degree. 

A search of Martin’s residence revealed that he had secretly purchased cell phones to access the internet to collect and distribute child pornography. The cell phones contained 26 videos and 2,544 images of child pornography.

United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Martin to 188 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Following his release, Martin will remain under court-ordered supervision for life. He will be required to register as a sex offender, attend sex offender treatment, submit to computer monitoring, refrain from any unsupervised contact with minors, and submit to random polygraph examinations.

Agents of the Department of Homeland Security investigated this case, which was prosecuted 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.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.       

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tammy L. Yoho, a/k/a “Tammy Louise Black,” 54, of Blythewood, South Carolina, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for theft of government funds. 

Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2002, Yoho entered an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to act as the fiduciary for her husband after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. In 2011, Yoho began a relationship with another man, whom she began living with in 2013. Yoho used her husband’s VA benefits for personal expenses, including spending large amounts at a casino in Las Vegas. In 2014, she forged her husband’s name on a power of attorney form so she could obtain a VA loan to purchase a large house in Blythewood, South Carolina. In October 2015, her husband was found dead in their marital home in North Carolina. The utilities had been shut off and the residence was in foreclosure for lack of payments. Yoho—who was still living with another man in Blythewood—subsequently filed for additional VA benefits claiming to have continuously lived with her husband until he died.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Yoho to 37 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision and payment of $47,730.34 in restitution to the Department of Veterans affairs.

The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Derrick Bernard Cunningham, 48, of Gray Court, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Evidence presented to the court showed that on May 26, 2018, a lieutenant with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) located Cunningham, who was wanted for outstanding warrants, at a hotel in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Cunningham was detained and placed in handcuffs, and the lieutenant noted that Cunningham continually tried to roll onto his left side.  The lieutenant observed a heavy object in a pocket of the vest Cunningham was wearing.  Cunningham claimed he did not know whether the object was a firearm and that he had borrowed the vest from a friend.  A search revealed the object was a Jiminez .380 caliber handgun, loaded with six rounds of ammunition.  Federal law prohibits Cunningham from possessing firearms because he has prior state convictions for grand larceny, burglary, and armed robbery.   

Cunningham faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison.  United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Cunningham after receiving and reviewing a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

The charges against Cunningham were the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), SLED, and the North Myrtle Beach Police Department.  This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001 that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Turning the tide of rising violent crime in America is a top priority for the Department of Justice, which has reinstituted PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy.  Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office is prosecuting the case. 

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Columbia, South Carolina - United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Bryan S. Bower, 51, formerly of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for tax evasion.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Bower is a former executive of Buckeye Fire Equipment in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. From 2010 to 2013, Bower diverted over $25 million in customer payments directly into his personal bank accounts. He then failed to claim the income on his yearly tax returns, resulting in a failure to pay over $9 million in income taxes.

Bower pled guilty to tax evasion, and United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced him to 41 months in federal prison.  There is no parole in the federal system.

“Mr. Bower’s embezzlement scheme to steal from his employer while also deliberately underreporting his embezzlement income on his federal tax returns was motivated by greed,” said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office.  “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are detrimental consequences for this type of criminal behavior.  IRS Criminal Investigation will continue our work to bring justice to those that abuse their positions of trust and steal from innocent victims.”

The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tarkim Shavell Melendez, 30, of Camden, South Carolina, was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the court showed that when a Bishopville City Police officer conducted a traffic stop in Bishopville on February 8, 2018, he recognized the passenger, Melendez, because Melendez had outstanding arrest warrants. When Melendez was arrested he was carrying a stolen, loaded 9mm pistol. Federal law prohibits him from owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition due to previous felony convictions.

Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., sentenced Melendez to 46 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 the Bishopville City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001 that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Turning the tide of rising violent crime in America is a top priority for the Department of Justice, which has reinstituted PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

 

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Charleston, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Marcos Rodriguez Lopez, 34, a Mexican citizen located in Gaston, South Carolina, was sentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. 

According to court documents, Lopez and others conspired to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine.  On the morning of January 10, 2017, federal, state, and local authorities executed search warrants at Lopez’s residence and another nearby residence.  As officers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol announced their presence and attempted to enter Lopez’s residence, Lopez fired one shot through the door where the officers were located before surrendering.  Lopez—who was residing in the United States illegally—was ultimately held accountable for over 12 kilograms of cocaine.  

Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., sentenced Lopez to 262 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), ICE-Homeland Security, the State Law Enforcement Division (“SLED”), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Sumter County Sheriff’s Department, and Aiken County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

         

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that as of this week, a total of ten defendants out of Lexington County and surrounding areas have pled guilty in federal court for their roles in a meth distribution conspiracy.

The first seven defendants, (1) Rafael Redmond, a/k/a “Pockets,” 43; (2) Jennifer Logan, 42; (3) Andrew Michael Chamberlain, 31; (4) James Lloyd, 28; (5) Jeremy Davis, 31; (6) Robert Pendleton, a/k/a “Bobby,” 39; and (7) David Peeples, 36, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Another two, (8) Terri Moore, 40; and (9) Brian Lorick, 45, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

These nine defendants each face a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years in federal prison, with a possibility of up to life imprisonment. Evidence offered during their guilty pleas included audio and video surveillance of several defendants involved in drug trafficking and firearm possession. Children were present during one of these drug exchanges.

Defendants (2) Jennifer Logan, (4) James Lloyd, (8) Terri Moore, and (9) Brian Lorick also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. They face a mandatory sentence of at least 5 years in federal prison, in addition to any other sentence imposed on the drug charges.

A tenth Defendant, Kyndal Hancock, 25, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.  He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs will sentence all ten defendants after reviewing presentencing reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. It is being prosecuted under the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dennis Gerald Robinson, 55, of Camden, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms, including a .22 caliber rifle and 20 gauge shotgun.

Robinson admitted that he engaged in a domestic violence dispute in May 2018, which ended with his victim fleeing the residence and Robinson firing his shotgun. Because Robinson is a convicted felon, federal law prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Robinson has previously been convicted of criminal domestic violence in the first degree; criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature; criminal domestic violence in the second degree; criminal domestic violence in the third degree; criminal sexual conduct with a minor; and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. According to court documents, Robinson’s prior domestic violence incidents involved a repeat victim, the repeated use of violence, and a return to the victim.

Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Robinson after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department and is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Quirino Hernandez, 31; Adam Stone, 28; and Luis Rodriguez, 29, were sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy involving methamphetamine.  Hernandez, Stone, and Rodriguez received sentences of 17 years, 13 years, and 5 years in federal prison, respectively.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

Andy Moorman, Head of the Narcotics Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, told the Court during the sentencing hearings that Hernandez, located in Gainesville, Georgia, was the source of supply for kilograms of methamphetamine.  Hernandez, with the help of Rodriguez, a runner, would meet drug dealers from Anderson, South Carolina, at a carwash in Gainesville, Georgia.  While at the carwash, Hernandez would sell kilograms of methamphetamine to these drug dealers for tens of thousands of dollars, and they would return to the Upstate of South Carolina to sell the methamphetamine to their customers.

According to Moorman, Adam Stone was a courier for another leader in the organization, Joshua Peace.  Peace sent Stone to the Atlanta, Georgia, area on multiple occasions to buy kilograms of methamphetamine at his request.  After buying the methamphetamine, Stone would bring it to Peace in South Carolina, where Peace and other members of the organization would sell it locally.

Peace, Hernandez, Stone, Rodriguez, and others in this drug trafficking organization were responsible for the distribution of over $1 million worth of methamphetamine in the Upstate of South Carolina and elsewhere. During the course of the investigation and prosecution, federal agents and local law enforcement seized over $600,000 in U.S. Currency, seven automobiles, and other property that conspirators bought with drug proceeds.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson Police Department, and the Franklin County (GA) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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Charleston, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Derrick Joy, Jr., 30, of North Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced to over four years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

According to court documents, on December 26, 2017, a North Charleston police officer saw Joy rolling a marijuana blunt in his vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store. The officer surprised Joy, removed him from the vehicle, and placed him under arrest. A 9mm pistol loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition was discovered between the driver's seat and the driver's side door of Joy’s car. The gun had been reported stolen. Because Joy has previously been convicted of multiple felonies and crimes of domestic violence, federal law prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Joy pled guilty to the firearm count, and United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced him to 50 months in federal prison to be followed by a 3-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 (ATF) and the North Charleston Police Department.  It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.  Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Eron Jordan, 27, of Conway, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 

According to court documents, on May 22, 2018, an officer with the Conway Police Department was on patrol in the City of Conway when he observed a vehicle with tinted windows so dark that he could not see the driver through the front side window.  The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, and upon approaching the vehicle, smelled an odor of marijuana.  The officer explained the window tint violation to the driver, identified as Eron Joran, asked Jordan to step out of the vehicle, and asked about the odor of marijuana.  Jordan disagreed about the odor and advised he had no objections to the officers looking in the vehicle.  Officers searched the vehicle and discovered two bags of crack cocaine and two bags of heroin in the center console; a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun in the glove compartment, loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition; a silver scale in the front passenger door; several cell phones; a glass jar with a small amount of suspected marijuana; $335.00 in cash in the driver’s door; and $5,762.00 in cash in a book bag on the rear passenger seat.  A search of a passenger in the vehicle revealed 70 Hydrocodone pills, 69 Oxycodone pills, and 10 Buprenorphine pills.  Jordan admitted that everything in the car was his and nothing belonged to the passenger.  Federal law prohibits Jordan from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has two prior state convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm.    

Jordan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Jordan after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

The charges against Jordon were the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), assisted by the Conway Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, and the Horry County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases.  Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.  Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.   

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Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Marion Katrell Campbell, 38, of Walterboro, South Carolina, was convicted in federal court of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

Evidence presented at the trial established that on July 8, 2017, Campbell was the driver and sole occupant of a car stopped by officers with the Walterboro Police Department for a defective headlight.  Campbell was placed under arrested for driving with a suspended license and failure to pay multiple traffic citations, and a K9 search was conducted on his vehicle.  After the K9 alerted, officers searched the vehicle and discovered a loaded .38 caliber Charter Arms revolver under the driver’s seat, extra ammunition on the driver’s side floorboard and in the driver’s door, plastic bags containing methamphetamine in the driver’s door and center console, and additional plastic baggies used for packaging drugs for distribution on the front passenger seat and in the passenger door.  In total, five plastic bags containing 42 prepackaged smaller bags of methamphetamine were found in the car.  The total net weight of the methamphetamine was a little less than 37 grams. 

After Campbell was arrested, he placed numerous phone calls to his friends and family from jail trying to convince other people to claim the firearm found in the vehicle that night.  He also openly discussed how much he was paying for his drugs and boasted about the quality.  The Government’s expert in drug trafficking was able to explain to the jury how the prices he quoted and the terms he used showed the conversations were about methamphetamine.

Campbell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Charleston presided over the trial and will sentence Campbell after receiving and reviewing a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Walterboro Police Department and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted pursuant to 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone’s longstanding partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office to target career criminals in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, and Allendale Counties in federal court.  Solicitor Stone stated, “The partnership between our office and the United States Attorney’s Office has been tremendously successful and continues to make the 14th Circuit a safer place to live.”

This case was also prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charleston prosecuted the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced that Nicole Halliett Holland, 49, former Director of Communications for the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and a resident of Columbia, pled guilty in federal court today to two fraud counts, one Wire Fraud and the other Mail Fraud.  Senior United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided.  Sentencing has been set for February 26, 2019.

Facts presented in court established that from 2011 to March 2018, Holland was employed by Daniel Edward Johnson at the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. During her time of employment, Nicole Holland used Solicitor’s Office funds to pay for personal expenses.

Using a Solicitor’s Office credit card issued to her to pay for office-related expenses, she made the following unauthorized purchases:

•        In May 2017, various hotel stays at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Hopkinsville, KY, totaling over $2,700. These charges correlate to Count 11, which is the wire fraud for the August 7, 2017, payment covering these personal expenses.

•        In March 2017, a $1,020 expense for a family member’s orthodontics treatment that Holland labelled as “tournament sponsorship.” This charge correlates to Count 19, the mailing and receipt of the Bank of America statement ending on March 8, 2017, which contained this expense.   

Holland faces up to twenty years in federal prison, with a potential fine up to $250,000. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Winston D. Holliday, Jr., Alyssa Leigh Richardson, and William C. Lewis of the Columbia office are prosecuting the case.

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Wesley Dallas Ayers, 27, of Anderson, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to using, attempting to use, and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction; possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime; and use of an explosive device during the commission of a felony. 

Ayers admitted that he constructed, and then placed, three explosive devices in various parts of Anderson County between January 24, 2018, and February 24, 2018.  A device placed by Ayers on January 30, 2018, at the intersection of Travis and Martin Roads, in Anderson County, detonated and injured one individual.  The other two devices, which Ayers also placed in or near area roadways, were intercepted and rendered safe by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

In that same timeframe, Ayers placed three hoax devices, which resembled explosives but did not contain any blasting agent.  With some of those devices, the defendant left threatening messages that more, and more powerful, devices were to come.

Ayers was arrested after an exhaustive month-long investigation, with the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and numerous law enforcement agencies from around the State of South Carolina.  DNA and other forensic evidence associated Ayers with the various devices.  Additionally, a search of his property produced numerous items consistent with the manufacture of the same.

Ayers faces a mandatory sentence of at least 20 years in federal prison, and up to a maximum of life imprisonment, in addition to a fine of $250,000 and up to 3 years of court-ordered supervision.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with numerous other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office is prosecuting the case.

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Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Thomas Owen Haynes II, 47, of Bluefield, West Virginia, formerly of Ladson, South Carolina, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. 

According to court documents, the Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC) sent a lead to the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which then obtained evidence that Haynes had been using his cell phone to view, receive, and distribute images and videos of child pornography. 

Haynes pled guilty, and United States District Court Judge David C. Norton sentenced him to 60 months imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After Haynes is released from prison, he will be under court-ordered supervision for life.  

The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Ernest Gerod Sims, a/k/a “Kojack,” 44, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for his role in a crack cocaine distribution conspiracy. 

According to court documents, on August 13, 2014, the Columbia Police Department, in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted a controlled purchase of crack cocaine from Sims.  An undercover source met with Sims at a residence on Pendleton Street and purchased crack cocaine from him.  The source then turned over the crack cocaine he had purchased to police.   This was part of a larger operation conducted by multiple police agencies targeting street-level drug sellers in the Midlands region.

Sims and eight others were charged in federal court in a 44-count indictment for their roles in a drug conspiracy.  Sims pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine.  United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., sentenced Sims to 188 months (15 years and 8 months) imprisonment followed by 6 years of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Richland County Sheriff's Department, and City of Columbia Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA –The United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, along with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA) and the Strom Thurmond Foundation, hosted the annual Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement Luncheon today at the Fort Jackson Officers' Club, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Approximately 150 state, local, and federal law enforcement officials from across the state attended the awards luncheon.

 

The following South Carolina law enforcement officers received the 2018 awards:

 

City – Chief William H. “Skip” Holbrook, City of Columbia Police Department

 

County – Sheriff Barry S. Faile, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office

 

Federal – Special Agent Jacquelyn K. Hamelryck, Federal Bureau of Investigation

 

State – Lieutenant Sigrid C. Phinney, SLED

 

 

The Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement were established by Senator Strom Thurmond in 1983 to recognize law enforcement officers whose performances demonstrate the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement.  An annual award is given in each of four categories: (1) City Officer; (2) County Officer; (3) State Officer; and (4) Federal Officer.  An awards committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strom Thurmond Foundation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with a police chief and sheriff who have received the award selected the recipients from nominations received from across the state.

 

United States Attorney Sherri Lydon stated, "We are proud to recognize these officers to exemplify the best in law enforcement and endeavor every day to secure communities across South Carolina.”

 

City Recipient

 

William H. “Skip” Holbrook

Chief

City of Columbia Police Department

Chief William H. “Skip” Holbrook has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, the last 12 of which have been in executive and command positions.  He was appointed Chief of the Columbia Police Department on April 14, 2014.  Under his leadership, the Columbia Police Department has implemented many organizational and operational reforms which have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice for 21st century policing efforts.  In addition, the department has received the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA) SCANA Award of Excellence and has been awarded national accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). 

 

Chief Holbrook began his law enforcement career in 1987 with Charlotte Police Department in N.C.  He went on to have a distinguished career with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation where he achieved the rank of Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Southern Piedmont District, Charlotte office.  Prior to coming to the Columbia Police Department in 2014, Chief Holbrook who is a native of Huntington, W. VA, served as their Police Chief for seven years.

 

Chief Holbrook earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Pheiffer University.  He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police, the FBI’s National Executive Institute, and the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service Senior Executive Institute.  Chief Holbrook is also a Furman University Riley Institute Diversity Fellow. 

 

Chief Holbrook is an active member of the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, S.C. Police Chiefs’ Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, FBI National Academy Associates National Executive Institute Association.  He serves as a member of the S.C. Governor’s Opioid Emergency Response Team.   Chief Holbrook is married and has three children. 

 

 

County Recipient

 

Barry S. Faile

Sheriff

Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Barry Faile began his law enforcement career at the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office in 1989 as a patrol deputy and worked his way through the ranks as a Patrol Deputy, Criminal Investigator, Narcotics Investigator, Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force Commander, Patrol Captain, and Chief Deputy.  He was elected Sheriff in 2009 and under his leadership and guidance, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office achieved accreditation through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition in 2011.  In 2013, the Sheriff’s Office received national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). 

 

Additionally, Sheriff Faile has obtained more than $5 million in grant money to improve and modernize the Sheriff’s Office to better serve citizens of Lancaster County.  In 2017, his agency completed their implementation of a body worn camera program that greatly increased accountability, criminal prosecution, and officer safety.  Grant funding made it possible to implement video conference bond hearings in the detention center and a countywide 800 mhz radio system.  Again, utilizing grant funds for their “CrimeTRAC” program, Lancaster County has seen a significant decrease in crime since its implementation in 2013.

 

A life-long resident of Lancaster County, Sheriff Faile is committed to the quality of life for its citizens.  For example, the Crime Watch program grew from 12 neighborhoods to 37 in just two years.  He and his officers are integral parts of the Lancaster County Coalition for Healthy Youth and the Lancaster Promise Neighborhood, aimed at revitalizing high-crime areas and mentoring high-risk youth.  In 2018, Sheriff Faile started a Senior Services Unit which focuses on increasing safety and improving the quality of life for senior citizens. Included among firsts for the Sheriff’s Office under his leadership are a Career Ladder designed to recruit and retain experienced and educated officers, the first Professional Standards Unit,  the first Crowd Control Unit,

 

Sheriff Faile was awarded the 2018 Sheriff’s Association Sheriff of the Year.  He currently serves as the SCLEOA 1st Vice President and is the Past President of South Carolina Sheriff’s Association.  Sheriff Faile and his wife and their three children reside in Lancaster where he is an active member of the community and church.  He is a regular volunteer at local high school sporting events where he can be found in the concession stand working for the booster club.     

 

 

Federal Recipient

 

Jacquelyn K. Hamelryck

Special Agent

Federal Bureau of Investigation

 

FBI Special Agent Jacquelyn “Jackie” Hamelryck began her career 25 years ago at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. In 1998, she joined the FBI and was initially assigned to the Miami Office Gang Squad working Haitian violent crime. She later supervised the South Carolina Joint Terrorism Task Force through 2016. She was responsible for managing the 24/7 surveillance of an international terrorism subject for over three months and involved over 50 surveillance teams that contributed to his conviction for the material support of terrorism. During this same time, SA Hamelryck stood-up and managed a second FBI command post to support potential domestic terrorism threats emanating from the Mother Emmanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston. She was also responsible for initiating and incorporating terrorism training to all new state and local law enforcement officers at the SC Criminal Justice Academy.

 

More recently, SA Hamelryck has served as the Violent Crimes Against Children Coordinator and was responsible for the safe recovery of 10 child sex trafficking victims and arrest of their pimps. She was instrumental in the murder investigation of a mother and the 10-day search for her kidnapped and murdered eight-year-old daughter in Bennettsville. She apprehended a predator who used the identities of college athletic coaches to gain access and sexually exploit young female athletes across the country.

 

As FBI Columbia’s Crisis Negotiation Coordinator, she is responsible for teaching negotiator classes to hundreds of first responders statewide. She has also provided instruction to over 1000 federal, state, and local negotiators nationwide. SA Hamelryck was responsible for managing the communications in multiple drug-related kidnappings and obtained proof-of-life evidence that contributed to the safe recovery of the victims. During the Still kidnapping in Calhoun County, SA Hamelryck spent five days at the Sheriff’s Department with the victim’s father receiving calls from the kidnappers associated with the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico. SA Hamelryck was a key witness in the two trials and introduced critical evidence from the ransom negotiations against the three kidnappers who received 30 years to life in federal prison. SA Hamelryck’s team successfully negotiated the last four occupiers on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon to end the 41-day armed standoff.

 

SA Hamelryck has received numerous internal FBI awards in recognition for her role in high-profile national security and criminal investigations. She was named Rookie of the Year in 1994 by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. She was recognized by the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, as Agent of the Year in 2000 for the successful prosecution of violent Haitian home invaders. In 2015, she was nominated for the United States Attorney General Award.

 

SA Hamelryck earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina and will graduate with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Behavior from Tiffin University in December 2018. She is married and has two children.

 

 

 

State Recipient

 

Sigrid C. Phinney

Lieutenant

SC Law Enforcement Division

 

Lieutenant Sigrid C. Phinney began her law enforcement career in 1998 with the Summerville Police Department where she served as a patrol officer, bicycle officer and School Resource Officer. In 2005, she accepted a position with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and is currently assigned to the SeaHawk Charleston Interagency Operations Center (IOC) as the State IOC Coordinator and Automatic License Plate Recognition program leader.

 

As State IOC Coordinator, Lieutenant Phinney assists in coordinating with federal, state, local, and private sector partners to support criminal investigations and homeland security needs, such as Cooper River Bridge Runs, multi-agency strike force operations, VIP visits to the Charleston area, the USS Ralph Johnson Ship Commissioning, and the creation of the IBIS/NIBIN database in Alastar. As a result of her coordination efforts, including “Operation SHRIMP and GRITS,” the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston was awarded the Area Maritime Security Committee in 2017. "Operation SHRIMP and Grits," a five- hour operation included SC, GA, and FL, encouraged boating safety and maritime security, and incorporated 89 agencies and 409 personnel, while covering 430 miles of coastline. In 2018, Lieutenant Phinney was awarded a SLED Certificate of Merit for assisting Charleston Police Department and FBI in a kidnapping case involving a four-year old. Her assistance included creating a timeline of the suspect’s movements before, up to, and after the attack on the family.

 

Lieutenant Phinney received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Charleston Southern University in 2004 and is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice at Anderson University Command College in Anderson, SC. Lt Phinney is married and has one child. While working full time and attending school, she continues to assist with Special Olympics events along with assisting her child in 4-H community projects, including Operation Shoebox. Lt. Phinney also volunteers at her child’s school when needed for drama club performances, tennis matches, and piano recitals.

 

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Pictured from left to right: Solicitor Strom Thurmond, Jr., US Attorney Sherri A. Lydon, County Award Winner Sheriff Barry S. Faile, Federal Award Winner Special Agent Jacqueline Hamelryck, State Award Winner Lieutenant Sig Phinney and City Award Winner Chief William "Skip" Holbrook

 

 

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced $35 million in funding to support law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioids, and another $35 million to establish new programs to provide services to children victims of the opioid crisis.

The announcement was made at the Department’s National Opioid Summit, which coincides with Red Ribbon Week, a yearly October event encouraging students, parents, schools, and communities to promote drug-free lifestyles. Additionally, the upcoming Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27 provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions before they start. Last year, the Department expanded on DEA's Drug Takeback Days and collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017. The Department of Justice also recently announced a total of almost $320 million in unprecedented funding to combat the opioid crisis in America.

"Ending the opioid crisis is a top priority for this administration, and under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Justice has taken historic action," Attorney General Sessions said. "We have already seen a nearly 20 percent decline in opioid prescription rates nationwide in 2017 and 2018, and we are cutting opioid production by an average of 10 percent for next year. Preliminary data also show that after years of large and sustained increases, overdose deaths may have finally started to decrease.  Today, we are announcing millions in grants intended to help the most vulnerable victims of the opioid crisis: children.  The Department is investing almost $35 million to assist youth victims of this crisis through enhancing community programs, supporting partnerships with victim service providers, and establishing mentoring programs. We are also announcing another $35 million for state law enforcement in states with high levels of heroin and methamphetamine abuse.  These measures take us one step closer to bringing this crisis to an end.”

In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, an increase from the 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of these deaths can be attributed to opioids, including illicit fentanyl and its analogues.

In FY 2018, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) made awards to 41 sites and a technical assistance provider totaling $29.8 million. This is in addition to about $4.8 million in transferred funds to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to support partnership between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present. The OVC program will support partnerships between victim service providers and first responders who encounter an overdose where children are present, through direct services, training and technical assistance, and efforts to build direct victim assistance services through community-based systems. The funding will provide funding for school-based programs, foster care and child welfare programs, counseling and assistance programs, child advocacy programs, court-appointed special advocates, mentoring and tutoring programs, civil legal services, and other programs.

The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office is awarding more than $27.8 million in grant funding to 17 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides two years of funding directly to law enforcement agencies in states with high per capita levels of primary treatment admissions for heroin and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the distribution of heroin or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.

Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office will also award $7.2 million to nine state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies will be awarded two years of funding through CAMP to support the investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine.

The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here:  https://cops.usdoj.gov/content/camp-2018-announcement.

The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/content/ahtf-2018-announcement.

The complete list of OVC awards can be found here: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2018/ojp-news-10252018c.pdf

 

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COLUMBIA, SC –---The United States Attorney’s Office’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association (SCLEOA), and the Strom Thurmond Foundation will host a luncheon on Friday, October 26, 2018, for the presentation of the 2018 Strom Thurmond Awards for Excellence in Law Enforcement.  These awards, established in 1983 by Senator Strom Thurmond, are presented annually to a city, county, state, and federal law enforcement officer who has demonstrated the highest ideals of excellence in professional law enforcement.  The awards ceremony will be attended by approximately 150 law enforcement officers from throughout the state.

The 2018 awards luncheon will be held at the Fort Jackson Officers’ Club at Fort Jackson.  Lunch will begin at 12:00 p.m. and the awards program will begin at approximately 12:45 p.m.  The names of award recipients will be announced during the luncheon. 

 

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Larry Anthony Ladson, Jr., 29 years old, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was convicted of possessing 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute after a two-day jury trial in Spartanburg.  The 12-person jury unanimously found Ladson guilty following the conclusion of the trial.  Given his prior criminal history, Ladson likely faces life imprisonment. 

The evidence presented at trial showed that Ladson was hiding in a bathtub when officers with the Fountain Inn Police Department were performing a protective sweep of the residence located in Simpsonville, South Carolina.  Law enforcement originally arrived on scene after receiving a report of a domestic incident involving a firearm.  After initially detaining three other individuals who were connected with the location, officers were clearing the residence when they discovered Ladson fully clothed in the bathtub with the lights off at approximately 2:45 p.m.  In the adjacent bedroom, law enforcement found Ladson’s driver’s license along with other identifying documents, in addition to a digital scale and clear plastic baggies used for drug packaging in plain view.  Upon obtaining a search warrant, a further search of the bedroom revealed over 1,000 grams of methamphetamine packaged in 19 separate bags, which were concealed in a backpack and hidden under layers of Ladson’s clothes in his closet.  The majority of the bags contained approximately 56 grams of the clear, crystal substance and were packaged for distribution in two-ounce quantities.

At the time of the incident, Ladson already had a warrant out for his arrest from a federal firearms violation occurring in October 2017.  Ladson was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on the methamphetamine charge and has been in continuous custody since his March arrest.  Prior to the incident, Ladson had numerous state convictions, to include: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (2014); possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (2014); two convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana (2014); burglary in the second degree, violent; criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature (2013); and assault and battery in the first degree (2013).

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Fountain Inn Police Department and prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001. Reinstituting PSN nationwide in October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority, and this case is another example of the positive effect his renewed focus is having on our communities in South Carolina. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Holloway and Jeanne Howard, both of whom are prosecutors assigned to the violent crime section of the United States Attorney’s Office. 

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Andre Eaddy, age 37, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Anderson.  Eaddy pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  United States District Judge Timothy Cain, of Anderson, accepted the plea and will impose a sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Eaddy coordinated with individuals in California and Colorado to transport kilogram quantities of marijuana for distribution in South Carolina.  Eaddy made monthly trips, often with co-conspirators, to deliver large amounts of United States currency or to otherwise secure the purchase of marijuana from other co-conspirators.  Mr. Eaddy would then have such purchases mailed back to South Carolina, to addresses associated with himself or various individuals, where such marijuana was then redistributed.  Evidence indicates that Eaddy shipped over 1000 pounds of marijuana into South Carolina.  Additionally, at a search of Eaddy’s residence, he was found in possession of a Keltec 9mm handgun, a Nodak Spud LLC rifle, a Taurus Judge .410 pistol, and a large amount of ammunition.

Ms. Lydon stated that the maximum penalty the defendant can receive is a fine of $8,000,000 and/or imprisonment of up to Life, plus a special assessment of $100. 

The case was investigated by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Service.  Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office handled the case.

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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Abraham Arturo Rodríguez, 30 years old, and Ruben Rodríguez, 23 years old, both from Brownsville, Texas, were convicted of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine after a 3-day jury trial in Florence.  The 12-person jury unanimously found both men guilty of the maximum crimes charged after a short deliberation.  Abraham Rodríguez faces 20 years to life imprisonment based on his role in the offense and a prior drug conviction.  Ruben Rodríguez faces 10 years to life. 

The evidence presented at trial showed that the two men came from the southwest border and rented a room at an upscale beachfront resort in North Myrtle Beach to be their base of operations.  From their high-rise hotel room, the Rodríguezes coordinated the delivery of more than 50 kilograms of cocaine—drugs valued at more than $1,500,000—from January through November 2017.  The men smuggled most of the cocaine to so-called “stash houses” located in the Fayetteville, North Carolina area using clandestine work trucks.  To avoid detection by law enforcement, the cocaine was stored in average-looking residences in middle-class neighborhoods where families lived and resided.  Inside these otherwise normal-looking homes, drug dealers armed with assault weapons kept watch over safes full of kilogram-sized bricks of cocaine and sold it to other drug dealers who came from as far away as Washington, DC, to purchase wholesale quantities of drugs.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds were then carried back to Myrtle Beach by the men, who shipped the ill-gotten gains back to their associates at the Mexican border via overnight mail.  The evidence further showed that while staying in South Carolina, Rodríguezes’ and their criminal associates spent large amounts of cash partying at Myrtle Beach nightclubs, buying high-end vehicles, and taking expensive excursions to cities such as Charleston, South Carolina.

All this came to an end on November 5, 2017, when DEA agents and North Myrtle Beach officers armed with a federal search warrant raided the Rodríguezes’ North Myrtle Beach hotel room, finding more than $143,000 in drug proceeds and a small amount of cocaine.  Both men were indicted by a federal grand jury.  Soon thereafter, Ruben was arrested crossing back into the United States at the Mexican border; Abraham was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Both men have been in continuous custody since their arrest on these federal charges, and they will remain in custody until they serve out their federal sentences.  

The South Carolina case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted by officers from the North Myrtle Beach Police Department.  The South Carolina case was opened based on a tip provided by North Carolina officers from the Fayetteville Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Andrew Moorman, Deputy Chief of Narcotics, and Everett McMillian, both of whom are prosecutors assigned to the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force of the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of South Carolina.  This case is part of a concentrated joint effort between local and federal authorities to disrupt and dismantle the supply chains of cocaine, opioids, and other drugs into the Myrtle Beach area.   

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Alonzo Anderson, age 45, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.  United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Anderson to 57 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Anderson conspired with others, in Greenville County, South Carolina, to coordinate the international distribution of quantities of cocaine.  

The case was investigated by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office handled the case.

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Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon stated today that Harvest Maurice Sloan, age 39, of Spartanburg, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia presided over the two-day trial in January and sentenced Sloan to ten years on the gun charge.

The government presented multiple witnesses during the course of the trial.  Witness testimony and the evidence presented by the government at trial established that on April 25, 2017, a Greenville police officer encountered the defendant, Harvest Maurice Sloan, at a car while the officer was investigating a stolen vehicle report. During a search of the car, police located a backpack containing a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol, along with additional 9mm ammunition from the front seat area of the car.

A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) retrieved calls made by Harvest Maurice Sloan from the Greenville County jail that contained conversations relating to the pistol recovered by police.

Sloan was arrested federally as a part of “Operation Real-Time.”  The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Upstate community.

Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of some 159 defendants and seizure of approximately 266 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons.

U.S. Attorney Lydon commended the partnership between the state and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case, “We remain at the ready and are eager to continue and grow this effort—working alongside our state chiefs and sheriffs in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.”

The Greenville Police Department along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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Columbia, South Carolina –------- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that on October 17, 2018, Veronica Perdomo, age 43, of Greenville, South Carolina, entered a plea of guilty as charged before United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain. Perdomo pled guilty to two counts of Wire Fraud, each such count carrying a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, four counts of Impersonating an Officer or Employee of the United States, each such count carrying a sentence of up to 3 years in prison and twelve counts of Fraudulently Affixing the Seal of an Agency of the United States to a Document, each such count carrying a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.  Sentencing will occur after the preparation of a presentence report by the United States Probation Office.

At the guilty plea hearing, Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens advised Judge Cain of the following facts:  Perdomo devised a scheme whereby she, at various times, pretended to be either an employee, officer or attorney working with or for the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/CIS).  Perdomo would seek out aliens who were either illegally in the United States or were here legally but having problems with their immigration status.  For a fee, Perdomo would “assist” these people in dealing with their immigration problems.  In truth and fact she did absolutely nothing to assist them with their problems.  In order to facilitate the scheme and artifice, Perdomo would prepare documents that she claimed were being sent to DHS/CIS, which actually were simply being piled up in a storage shed behind her home.  Perdomo would then create bogus documents bearing the seal of DHS/CIS which she claimed were being sent from DHS/CIS and provide same to her victims to purportedly show that their situations were being addressed.  USA Lydon advised that further details of the case could be found in the Indictment, a copy of which is attached.

USA Lydon further advised that a co-defendant in the case, Latoya Sanders, age 30, of Greenville, South Carolina, had earlier entered a plea of guilty as outlined in a press release which is also attached hereto.  At the time of that plea no facts concerning the case were released due to Perdomo’s case being pending.  USA Lydon stated that Sanders played a lesser role in the offense than did Perdomo and was basically used to collect money from the victims and assist Perdomo in her charade of being a part of the DHS/CIS. 

USA Lydon commended the efforts of the real agents from DHS/CIS who she said worked many hours conducting a superb investigation. Additionally, Lydon had high praise for the officers from the Greenville City Police Department who originated the case and were outstanding partners as the investigation moved in to the federal arena.

 

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sanders_latoya_-_plea.pdf

indictment.pdf

 

Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Tiffany Thomas, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Charleston to Submission of False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287.  United States District Judge Margaret Seymour, of Charleston, accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Thomas submitted false claims while she was employed in the Department of State’s Regional Security Office in Lome, Togo.  The funds were managed by the Department of State's Global Financial Services Center in Charleston.   As part of the scheme, Thomas submitted forged receipts for expenses related to official travel in the United States and abroad. The Government alleges the claims exceeded $100,000.

Ms. Lydon stated the maximum penalty for Submission of False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims is imprisonment for 5 years, a fine of $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Department of State,  Office of Inspector General, led by Inspector General Steve A. Linick.  Assistant United States Attorney Matt Austin of the Charleston Office is prosecuting the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Antonio Miller, age 40, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court to 360 months (30 years) imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Miller plead guilty last year in connection with the torture, robbery, and murder of Fred Tucker in Aiken. Specifically, Miller plead guilty to using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking, kidnapping resulting in death; and conspiring to distribute crack cocaine resulting in death.  United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis imposed the sentence. 

Court hearings revealed that on September 15, 2008, Miller and three co-confederates targeted Fred Tucker to rob him of drugs and drug proceeds to further their ongoing efforts to distribute crack cocaine. Miller and the others drove in a rental car to Tucker’s house in Aiken. Carrying multiple firearms, these four men entered Tucker’s home, subdued and restrained Tucker, binding his hands and feet with duct tape, before repeatedly burning him with a scalding flathead screwdriver. After torturing Tucker in order to learn the location of hidden drugs and drug proceeds, Tucker was fatally shot in the chest. Through the work of local law enforcement, searches of the rental car and Miller’s own residence revealed crack cocaine taken from Tucker and firearms that ballistically matched those used to murder Tucker.

After his co-defendants pleaded guilty, a state-court jury convicted Miller of kidnapping, murder, and related charges before South Carolina Circuit Judge Doyet A. (Jack) Early, III. On appeal in 2016, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the conviction. As part of a longstanding history of cooperation with Second Circuit Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr., federal authorities indicted Miller in 2017. After United States District Judge Lewis denied Miller’s attempts to suppress evidence of the murder, Miller agreed to plead guilty and be sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety and the United States Marshal’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.D. Rowell prosecuted the case, along with assistance from Special Assistant United States Attorney Beth Ann Young of the Second Circuit Solicitor’s Office.  

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced and welcomed Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Stoughton and Elliott Daniels to her staff this week. 

Katie Stoughton graduated from the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina and The George Washington University Law School.  She previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dennis W. Shedd on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Honorable Terry L. Wooten, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.  Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she served as Counsel to United States Senator Lindsey O. Graham on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Katie will join the Appellate Division.

Elliott Daniels obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from The George Washington University and studied law at Oxford University, where he received a diploma in international and human rights law.  Prior to law school, he worked abroad and in Washington, D.C., in the international human rights field.  Elliott most recently worked as a civil defense attorney at Murphy & Grantland, P.A. in Columbia, where he led the firm’s practice group representing survivors of trafficking.  He will join the Criminal Division with a focus on Violent Crime.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Jeffrey Lee Harris, age 31, of Pickens, pled guilty in federal court in Spartanburg, to possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A.  United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, of Spartanburg, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that law enforcement conducted a proactive investigation involving individuals obtaining child pornography.  Law enforcement learned that Harris had used Bitcoin to purchase a membership in a foreign website that specialized in child pornography. 

Officers obtained Harris’s computers and interviewed him.  On the computers, officers found multiple images and videos of children, some prepubescent, engaged in sexual activity and the lascivious display of the genitals.  After being given his Miranda warnings, Harris admitted that he had sought out and downloaded the child pornography found on his computer. 

Ms. Lydon stated the maximum penalty Harris can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, supervised release of up to life, plus a special assessment of $100. 

The case was investigated by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.

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

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Michael Glover, a/k/a “Glove,” a/k/a “G,” a/k/a “HG,” age 48, and Jihad Salahadeen Pollard, age 44, both formerly of Columbia, South Carolina, were sentenced to lengthy sentences yesterday in federal court. Glover was sentenced to 324 months (27 years) imprisonment, which will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Pollard was sentenced to 121 months  (10.08 years) imprisonment, which will be followed by 4 years of supervised release.

Glover and Pollard each plead guilty last year to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(B). Glover also plead guilty to a money laundering conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia, imposed the sentences.     

Glover and Pollard were two of 10 defendants charged in April 2014, following a series of court-authorized, DEA-monitored wiretaps over several telephones in the Columbia area. The investigation revealed that a group of individuals in the Columbia area were obtaining large amounts of heroin from various sources outside of South Carolina and then distributing it in the Midlands. Evidence indicated that the suppliers were initially getting the heroin in packages from India. Several packages destined for Columbia and containing heroin were intercepted by law enforcement during the investigation. After those packages were intercepted, Glover and Pollard, along with their co-defendants, obtained heroin from suppliers in New York and transported it back to Columbia to stash houses and later distributed to street level dealers. The New York heroin suppliers were charged and convicted in the Eastern District of New York for their role in the heroin conspiracy.

Glover and Pollard were fugitives until their arrests in the summer of 2017 in San Antonio, Texas, where they were residing under false identities. Pollard was located after being arrested by Texas authorities for selling heroin. While in a Texas jail, a check of Pollard’s fingerprints determined that he was using a fake identity and wanted in South Carolina.  The following month, the United States Marshals Service located Glover in Texas using a false identity and brought him back to South Carolina. Glover, who has prior North Carolina state convictions for sale of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, was deemed a career offender by the court.

Six of their co-defendants were arrested in 2014 and plead guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy here in South Carolina and were sentenced in 2015 as follows: Eric Shawn Bradley, a/k/a “E,” age 50, of Columbia, was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release; Kenneth Crawford, age 44, of Washington, D.C., and formerly of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release; Charles Bradley, age 35, of Columbia, was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment with 6 years of supervised release to follow; Anthony Glover, age 43, of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release to follow; Larry Bookman, age 64, of Columbia, was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment with 6 years of supervised release; and Jessany Lyons, age 27, of Far Rockaway, New York, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release. Two other co-defendants charged in the indictment remain fugitives and are innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) High Intensity Drug Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, and the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), along their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will visit schools across South Carolina to meet with students as a part of South Carolina’s 17th Annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence.  With a focus on keeping their schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes.  Elementary school children are making a simpler commitment, pledging that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.            

The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversation among young people about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at www.pledge.org .

As it has done since 2002, the USAO reached out to all South Carolina law enforcement agencies and schools to make the pledges available to interested schools. This pledge effort is part of Project CeaseFire, which is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. One year ago, in October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all USAOs to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. 

The following South Carolina schools and local law enforcement agencies are participating in this year’s pledge on October 17th.  A total of 59 schools across the state are participating in this year’s pledge event, some of which requested speakers for their pledge event, as noted below with an “asterisk”. For information on events scheduled for a particular school, please contact that school directly. The USAO would like to thank the FBI, ATF, and United States Marshals Service for their assistance in providing speakers to the 28 requesting schools. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge web site at www.pledge.org.

Participating Schools

 

A.J. Lewis Greenview Elementary School – Columbia*

Austin Middle School – Summerville*

A. R. Lewis Opportunity School - Pickens

Applied Technology Center – Rock Hill

Battery Creek High School – Beaufort*

Beaufort Middle School – Beaufort*

Blacksburg Middle School -Blacksburg*

Burke High School – Charleston*

C.E. Williams Middle School - Charleston

Cane Bay Middle School - Summerville

Castle Heights Middle School – Rock Hill

Cheraw Intermediate School – Cheraw*

Clover 9th Grade Campus - Clover

Clover High School - Clover

Dutchman Creek Middle School – Rock Hill

Forest Heights Elementary School – Columbia*

Gilbert High School – Gilbert*

Gold Hill Middle School – Tega Cay

Greer High School - Greer

Hardeeville - Ridgeland Middle School - Ridgeland*

Hilton Head High School – Hilton Head

Hilton Head Island Middle School – Hilton Head Island

James Island Charter High School – James Island

Ladson Elementary - Ladson

Lee Central High School - Bishopville

Liberty Elementary School – Liberty*

Lemira Elementary School - Sumter

Longleaf Middle School - Columbia*

Macedonia Middle School – Moncks Corner*

McCormick High School - McCormick*

McCormick Middle School - McCormick*

Midlands Art Conservatory - Columbia*

Myrtle Beach High School – Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Middle School – Myrtle Beach

North Augusta Middle School – North Augusta

Northwest Elementary School - Gaffney*

Northwestern High School – Rock Hill

Oakbrook Middle School - Ladson

Oakridge Middle School – Clover

Ocean Drive Elementary School – Myrtle Beach

Paul Knox Middle School – North Augusta

Pepperhill Elementary School - Charleston*

Pine Grove Elementary School - Columbia*

Pine Ridge Middle School – West Columbia

Rawlinson Road Middle School – Rock Hill

Richland One Middle College - Columbia*

Robert Small International Academy - Beaufort

Rock Hill High School – Rock Hill*

South Pointe High School – Rock Hill

St. George Middle School – St. George*

St. James - Santee Elementary Middle School - McClellanville*

St. James Intermediate School - Charleston

St. John's High School – John’s Island*

Sullivan Middle School – Rock Hill

Summerville High School - Summerville*

Ware Shoals Primary School –Ware Shoals*

Washington Street Elementary -Hartsville*

W.J. Keenan High School - Columbia

Whale Branch Early College High School - Seabrook*

Whale Branch Middle School – Seabrook

 

Participating Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Beaufort Police Department

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office

Charleston County Sheriff’s Office

Charleston Police Department

City of Charleston Department of Police

Columbia Police Department

Greenwood County Sheriff’s Department

Greer Police Department

Hardeeville Police Department

McCormick Sheriff’s Department

Midlands Technical College

Myrtle Beach Police Department

North Augusta Department of Public Safety

North Charleston Police Department

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office

Richland County Sheriff’s Department

Rock Hill Police Department

St. George Police Department

Summerville Police Department

Sumter Police Department

Tega Cay Police Department

Town of Summerville

York County Sheriff’s Office

 

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Tommy Adams, Jr., age 41, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after a pre-sentence report is prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing and previous court hearings established that officers with the Bennettsville Police Department (BPD) were investigating unlawful drug activity in the Ella Street area of Bennettsville, South Carolina. As part of that investigation, BPD officers utilized a confidential informant who purchased a quantity of cocaine base from Adams on November 2, 2017. After further investigation, a search warrant was obtained and served on February 2, 2018. Police found quantity amounts of cocaine and cocaine base in a car driven by Adams. A loaded .38 caliber revolver was also found in the car. 

Adams has multiple state convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Adams faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $2,000,000 and 6 years of supervised release on the drug distribution charge.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) along with the Bennettsville Police Department investigated the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office handled the case.

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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina ----–The United States Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; SC Department of Employment and Workforce; SC Works; SC Vocational Rehabilitation; SC Department of Social Services; and the US Probation Office are continuing their statewide partnership to help individuals with prior criminal backgrounds secure employment.

The Third Annual Pee Dee Reentry Job Fair & Expo will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Horry Georgetown Technical College Conference and Business Center, located at 950 Crabtree Lane, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

This fair, which targets the Pee Dee region of the State, is one in a series of fairs held annually, including in the Low Country, the Upstate, and the Midlands. The partner organizations believe that these tailored expos, for people with a criminal background, will provide some focused help for the particular obstacles individuals face after returning home, particularly in securing employment.

The first two Pee Dee Reentry Job Fairs were hosted in Florence, South Carolina where more than 500 job seekers attended over the two years, combined.  The opportunity to host this year’s fair in Myrtle Beach will expand the availability of resources to new employers and job seekers alike.

Professional dress is required. Job seekers should inquire with Marcos Barahona of the US Probation Office at Marcos_Barahona@scp.uscourts.gov or George Whitehead at (803) 734-9143, (803) 667-1258 or george.whitehead@ppp.sc.gov if they have any questions about the event.  Employers should contact Kimberly Burke at kburke@dew.sc.gov or make inquiry at jdenz@dew.sc.gov.

 

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Elontrae Ali Glenn, age 24, to 120 months of incarceration, which is the statutory maximum, as a result of his conviction for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g).

Evidence presented in court established that on January 26, 2018, Glenn happened upon a law enforcement convention in the Columbia area, and began forcibly making entry into law enforcement vehicles. From these vehicles, Glenn took nine firearms, several rounds of ammunition, and other law enforcement paraphernalia. In making his way back to Charlotte, the South Carolina Highway Patrol attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Glenn after clocking the vehicle travelling over the speed limit. Glenn refused to stop the vehicle and attempted to evade law enforcement in a high-speed chase that lasted over seventeen miles and reached speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. Eventually, law enforcement brought Glenn’s vehicle to a stop, using a boxing maneuver, but not before Glenn rammed two patrol vehicles in a final attempt to escape. Glenn was apprehended, and law enforcement recovered the stolen firearms and other paraphernalia in the vehicle driven by Glenn.  Glenn is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms based upon his prior separate state convictions for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, discharging a weapon into occupied property, breaking and entering motor vehicles, and possession with intent to distribute.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Chester County Sheriff’s Department, and Columbia Police Department. Glenn was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office handled the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Teresa Yarborough-Walker, age 50, of Blythewood, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 641.  She was also ordered to pay over $416,000 in restitution.  Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided.  

Evidence presented previously established that Walker was the human resources supervisor for Genesis Health Care, Inc.  Genesis is a non-profit health care center that offers medical services to poor, rural communities.  Genesis was funded by the Health Resources Service Administration, an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services.  Many Genesis patients are on Medicare and Medicaid.

Walker embezzled from Genesis by creating fictitious employees and paying them a salary.  She then diverted those salaries to herself.  She modified the payroll software to prevent reports from going to management that would have revealed the scheme.

Walker stole approximately $416,257.00. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the City of Columbia Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

 

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Trevor Winfield Evins, age 35, of Florence, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of Spartanburg, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after a pre-sentence report is prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that October 18, 2017, an officer with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling near Saluda Drive and Madison Avenue and attempted to stop Evins for a traffic violation. Evins fled leading police on a vehicle chase before eventually stopping his car and fleeing on foot. FCSO officers located Evins after a search of the area. A search of the car driven by Evins uncovered quantity amounts of marijuana and cocaine. A loaded 9mm pistol was found hidden in the engine compartment.

Evins is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition based upon prior convictions. Evins has a prior federal court conviction for felon in possession of a firearm and a state court conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Evins faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office handled the case.

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North Charleston, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that the United States Attorney’s Office continued its firm commitment to upholding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Sneed served as a presenter during an ADA Workshop for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.

The event was sponsored by the South Carolina Association of the Deaf, Inc. (SCAD).  SCAD is the statewide non-profit organization that focuses on promoting equal treatment toward deaf and hard of hearing citizens in education, employment, legislation, healthcare, and other fields pertaining to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens of South Carolina.  Mrs. Anita M. Steichen-McDaniel, SCAD’s Executive Director, was the lead organizer of the event.  This event was held at the Whitfield Center at Charleston Southern University on Saturday, September 29, 2018.  AUSA Sneed provided an overview of federal disability laws and focused on those aspects of the ADA of greatest interest to members of the deaf and hard of hearing community. 

The ADA requires that covered entities (state and local governments; businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public) communicate effectively with people who have communication disabilities.  The goal is to ensure that communication with people with these disabilities is equally effective as communication with people without disabilities.

U.S. Attorney Lydon stated that community outreach efforts such as this continue the U.S. Attorney’s and DOJ’s long standing commitment to Project Civic Access, which is a wide-ranging effort to ensure that counties, cities, towns, and villages comply with the ADA by eliminating physical and communication barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life.  The training also demonstrates the U.S. Attorney’s ongoing support of  DOJ’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, which is an initiative that includes effective communication for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, physical access to medical care for people with mobility disabilities, and equal access to treatment for people who have HIV/AIDS.

In addition to the ADA, the DOJ and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina enforces federal civil rights laws, including the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.  Civil remedies under these statutes include monetary penalties, injunctions, civil judgments and more.

To learn more about the ADA and other laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities, log on to the DOJ’s ADA website https://www.ada.gov/  or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD).  The U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Program webpages are located at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/civil-rights.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Derrick Nelson, age 42, of Timmonsville, South Carolina, Whitney Magazine, age 25, of Jacksonville, Florida, Brittany Duncan, age 25, Tanisha Bynoe, age 30, and Errol Mack, age 29, of Brooklyn, New York, have entered guilty pleas in federal court in Columbia, to conspiring to commit mail, wire and bank fraud involving counterfeit American Express Travelers Checks, a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1349. Eric Wilson, age 48 of Bishopville, South Carolina, plead guilty to the same charge on March 29, 2018. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence reports, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence  was presented at the change of plea hearings to establish that the investigation of this case began when the Secret Service received a report that Eric Wilson was selling counterfeit travelers checks while he was living in Florence, South Carolina. Further investigation revealed that the checks were related to an investigation into counterfeit traveler’s checks that the Secret Service had begun in New York in 2007 that had caused losses to American Express of more than twenty million dollars.  The defendants and others were selling, purchasing, spending, and mailing counterfeit travelers checks throughout the United States. All of the defendants were caught in Columbia, South Carolina, and elsewhere, passing counterfeit travelers checks. U.S. Attorney Lydon stated the maximum penalty for Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire, or Bank Fraud is imprisonment for 20 years and/or a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.

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COLUMBIA, SC ------ United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today the District of South Carolina has been awarded $547,945.00 in Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grants to combat violent crime. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs will serve as the fiscal agent for the funds, which will be awarded to sub-grantees in a competitive grant process to be announced shortly.

Attorney General Sessions has made PSN the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.

South Carolina’s implementation of PSN is called Project CeaseFire. PSN has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. 

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.” 

Through the enhanced PSN, the Department of Justice is targeting the most violent criminals in the most violent areas, utilizing policing tools that did not exist even a few years ago. Tools like crime gun intelligence centers (CGIC), which combine intelligence from gunshot detection systems, ballistics, gun tracing, and good old-fashioned police work, help to develop real-time leads on the “traffickers and trigger pullers” who are fueling the violence in their communities. By using modern technologies and cutting-edge police work, the Department of Justice is deploying resources strategically to provide the greatest return on our community-based anti-violence efforts.

The grants announced today build on Attorney General Sessions’ commitment to reducing violent crime in America, as directed by President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order. The Department has distributed additional resources and built up strong partnerships with local law enforcement in communities plagued by violent crime.

Since the announcement of the reinvigoration of the PSN program in October 2017, the Department of Justice has increased the number of federal prosecutors focused on violent crime by over 300, directed its resources to improving cooperation between federal and local law enforcement agencies, restored local control of police agencies by reining in excessive use of consent decrees, reformed civil asset forfeiture and restored asset-sharing with state and local law enforcement, and helped fund over 800 hundred officers in police departments across America.

United States Attorney Lydon announced that South Carolina recently received funding for three new violent crime federal prosecutors, as well as additional support staff. These positions will be added to the violent crime unit, which will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to address violent crime in our communities.

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COLUMBIA, SC ------ United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that one year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.

South Carolina’s implementation of PSN is called Project CeaseFire. PSN has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. 

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.  I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face.  Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.” 

Sherri Lydon, United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, has quickly redoubled efforts and resources in combatting violent crime and securing our communities, recently adding federal prosecutors in the Columbia, Greenville, and Florence offices.  “We are ‘all in’ with our state and local partners and committed to turning the tide of violence in South Carolina.”

As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN/Project CeaseFire actions over the past year in South Carolina:

Enforcement Actions

Across the state, federal partners have worked hand in hand with local law enforcement agencies to make our communities safer by getting the most violent armed recidivists off our streets and out of our communities. One of the programs implemented under PSN/Project CeaseFire in South Carolina is “Operation Real Time,” which is designed to fast-track the most violent armed offenders to federal court, where many times they face stiffer penalties for firearm offenses and swift justice.

During 2017 – 2018, the USAO has prosecuted 533 armed offenders in 178 federal criminal complaints and 455 federal indictments. Below are some examples of armed felons successfully prosecuted under PSN/Project CeaseFire recently. Additional PSN/Project CeaseFire press releases may be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr.

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/columbia-man-sentenced-15-years-federal-firearms-charge

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/orangeburg-man-pleads-federal-firearm-charge-stemming-shooting-officers

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/rock-hill-man-sentenced-150-months-federal-firearm-and-drug-charges

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/federal-jury-finds-greenville-felon-guilty-firearm-trial

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/newberry-felon-sentenced-327-months-imprisonment-possessing-firearm-furtherance

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/lexington-man-sentenced-70-months-federal-prison-after-pleading-firearm-and-ammunition

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/orangeburg-man-pleads-federal-firearm-charge-stemming-shooting-officers

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/travelers-rest-woman-sentenced-15-years-imprisonment-being-felon-possession-firearm-and

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/north-carolina-man-sentenced-105-months-imprisonment-after-pleading-guilty-being-felon

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-188-months-federal-prison-gun-and-drug-charges

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/lexington-man-sentenced-15-years-federal-drug-and-firearm-charges

Community Partnerships

“National Day of Concern”:  On Wednesday, October 17, 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will visit schools across South Carolina to meet with students as a part of our 17th annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence.  With a focus on keeping their schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are making a simpler commitment, pledging that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.

The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversation among young people about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part.

•       https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/south-carolina-s-17th-annual-national-day-concern-student-pledge-against-gun-violence

'Focused Deterrence Models:  Aiken Safe Communities and beyond”: In late 2012, the USAO-DSC partnered with the Aiken Department of Public Safety as well as numerous other federal, state, and local enforcement partners and community partners in their efforts to advance “Aiken Safe Communities.”  This program entails inviting repeat offenders, many of whom are on state probation, to a public forum and allowing community partners, as well as law enforcement, to urge the offenders to not re-offend and to seize opportunities offered by the community. Officially launched in early 2013, the Aiken Safe Communities Initiative is a unified, proactive community approach to engage, educate, and encourage recurring offenders to change their behavior and make healthy life choices.  The initiative also bands together local, state, and federal law enforcement to expedite the investigation and prosecution of individuals who reoffend in lieu of accepting opportunities and assistance offered by the community during public notification meetings held at Aiken City Hall several times a year.

From 2012-2013, the City of Aiken experienced an 86% reduction in murders.  In 2014, the South Carolina Community Development Association presented the city of Aiken with its 2014 Award of Excellence, recognizing community development efforts that have significantly improved the quality of life in the community.  “Safe Communities” continues to thrive with active involvement by the community, to include faith-based, non-profit, and business partners, as well as law enforcement at all levels.  For those participants who did not avail themselves of the opportunities offered at the “call in” and reoffended thereafter, indictments followed.  However, of the over 125 individuals who have participated in the program, the resulting recidivism rate is less than 18% compared to a national average of over 75%.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also helped facilitate and initiate additional iterations in Conway (C-STAND), Columbia (Ceasefire Columbia), Hartsville (Hartsville Safe Communities), Greenville (Greenville Safe Communities), and Orangeburg (Orangeburg) Safe Communities. 

“Operation ‘Home Front’”:  Home Front is a focused deterrence-based initiative to combat domestic violence led by 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette.  The initiative launched in December of 2016 and has the full support and partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Solicitor Barnette has detailed a career prosecutor from his office, Jennifer Wells, to serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney handling these cases for the 7th Circuit in United States Federal Court. Since early 2017, thirty-seven domestic violence defendants have been indicted and prosecuted as a part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s partnership with the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office to reduce domestic violence homicides and lower recidivism rates. Twenty-three of these defendants pled guilty to firearm related offenses. Two were found guilty at trial.  To date, eleven defendants have been sentenced between 16 – 108 months in the Bureau of Prisons.  The average sentence is 52 months. 

Modelled after a program started in High Point, North Carolina, members of the Home Front task force began earlier this fall, meeting with representatives from every police department in Spartanburg county as well as the Sheriff’s Office.  The Spartanburg County State Probation office and victim’s advocate stalwart, SAFE Homes, also serve as critical partners in this effort. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, domestic violence is a community crime problem that costs the United States over $5.8 billion every year. It is a major drain on law enforcement resources as domestic violence generates a high volume of calls and repeated calls to the same location. Domestic violence homicides make up 40–50 percent of all murders of women in the United States. Women who have experienced a history of domestic violence report more health problems than other women and they have a greater risk for substance abuse, unemployment, alcoholism, and suicide attempts.

Research shows that the repeat domestic violence offender tends to have a significant criminal history that includes a wide range of both domestic violence and non-domestic violence offenses. Most of these offenders are readily identified as they are known to the criminal justice system. The Home Front initiative exposes the repeat domestic violence offender to sanctions because of his pattern of criminal behavior.  According to the 2015 Violence Policy Center “When Men Murder Women” report, South Carolina led the nation in rates of women murdered by men. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the victims were killed with a firearm and ninety-six percent (96%) of women murdered were killed by someone they knew.  In Spartanburg County during the 2015 calendar year, SAFE Homes serviced 6726 victims of domestic violence. In the same time frame, the Spartanburg Police Department charged 907 domestic violence cases and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office charged 1068 domestic violence cases. There were fourteen (14) domestic related deaths in Spartanburg County in 2015.

Solicitor Barnette has had enough.  “Domestic violence is violence, period.  It continues to plague our community--so costly and harmful to families and children, persisting year after year.  It is time for these offenders to get our best shot—our best efforts.  That is Home Front.”

 United States Attorney Sherri Lydon agrees.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands with Solicitor Barnette as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement in this innovative approach to stop the abuse and secure our victims and families from this continued cycle of horrific violence.”

•     https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/spartanburg-initiative-combat-domestic-violence-results-108-month-federal-prison-sentence

Improvements to Community Safety

•        The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that, after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, in the first year of the Trump Administration the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline.  The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.

•        The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off. Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.

These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of PSN, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Brandon J. Thompson, age 31, and Quintrell Morris, age 19, both of Columbia, plead guilty in federal court. Thompson plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, use/carry/possess/brandish of firearms during and in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951(a), 922(g)(1), and 924(c)(1)(A). Morris plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to use/carry/possess/brandish of firearms during and in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence, use/carry/possess/brandish of firearms during and in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951(a), 922(g)(1), 924(c)(1)(A), and 924(o). United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentences after she has reviewed the presentence reports, which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office.

Evidence presented in court established that on the early morning hours of December 30, 2017, deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call referencing a home invasion on Maple View Drive. Upon approaching the residence, deputies noticed the door open, entered the home, and found two armed men, Thompson and Morris. After detaining both Thompson and Morris, deputies located a female, who had been tied up, and her children, one of whom had called 911. The female advised that they had forced her to open a safe and give them the money from it. Deputies seized a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun from Thompson and a loaded Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle from Morris. A ballistic vest was also seized from Thompson’s vehicle, which was located nearby. The investigation revealed that Thompson and Morris went to this home in an effort to rob the homeowners of proceeds from various businesses they operated.

Thompson and Morris are both prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon their prior state convictions. Thompson has prior state convictions for armed robbery and assault with intent to kill. Morris, a gang member who was on state probation at the time, has prior state convictions for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and unlawful carrying of a weapon.  

Thompson and Morris face the following penalties: a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release on the Hobbs Act robbery charges; a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge; and a mandatory minimum of 7 years imprisonment and a maximum of life, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and 5 years of supervised release on the use/carry/possess/brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence charge.  

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and was prosecuted as part of Project CeaseFire, a joint federal, state and local initiative focused upon aggressively prosecuting firearm cases in an effort to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority and reinstituted PSN nationwide. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Jerry Jerome Yeldell, age 50, of Greenwood, South Carolina, was sentenced after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).  Senior United States District Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville, sentenced Yeldell to 90 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

At an earlier guilty plea hearing, Assistant U. S. Attorney Jeanne Howard, established that on July 31, 2016, Greenwood Police received a call that someone had been shot on Taggert Avenue in Greenwood.  The victim was transported to the hospital and identified Yeldell as the person who shot him.  Shortly thereafter, Yeldell turned himself in to the Greenwood Police Department and admitted to shooting the victim but stated it was in self-defense.

Because of his prior criminal history, which includes three convictions for public disorderly conduct, two convictions for distribution of crack cocaine, a conviction for possession of crack cocaine, a conviction for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, three convictions for simple assault and battery, a conviction for assault and battery 3rd degree, two convictions for burglary 2nd degree, 3 convictions for breaking into motor vehicles, and two convictions for forgery, Yeldell is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.    

The case was investigated by bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Greenwood Police Department, and FBI Safe Streets Task Force and was prosecuted as part of Project CeaseFire, a joint federal, state and local initiative focused upon aggressively prosecuting firearm cases in an effort to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority and reinstituted PSN nationwide. Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office handled the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon stated today that Melvin Leonard Wimmer, Jr., age 53, of Greenwood, South Carolina was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, South Carolina, for Securities Fraud.  Senior United States District Judge Henry Herlong, of Greenville, sentenced Wimmer to 75 months imprisonment and 5 years Supervised Release.  The court also ordered Wimmer to pay $3,056,000 in restitution.   

Evidence uncovered in the investigation established that in 2007, Wimmer started an investment firm in Greenwood called Cornerstone Capital.  From 2010-2017, approximately twenty-five (25) individuals invested $3.6 million with Wimmer.  Wimmer pooled the money into one bank account, and he invested in high-risk securities and futures contracts. 

Wimmer committed fraud by issuing fraudulent account statements to his investors.  Soon after he started trading options and futures, Wimmer lost money, and he continued to lose money throughout the scheme.  Instead of reporting the losses, Wimmer emailed his investors monthly account statements that falsely listed gains of 8-10 percent on an annualized basis.  Wimmer manufactured and distributed false account statements from the outset, and he continued until the scheme collapsed.  Wimmer also falsely represented the expected gains from trading, including the past performance of his trades, and he failed to inform the investors of the high risk of trading futures and options.  Of the $3.6 million invested, Wimmer lost approximately $3 million.  Much of this money came from the investors’ retirement savings.

United States Attorney Sherri Lydon noted that “this prosecution illustrates the devastating impact that financial fraud inflicts on many Americans.  Sadly, many of the victims in this case are elderly and lost all of their retirement savings.  A free market system cannot function without integrity in the financial markets.”     

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina---- Quickly focusing her efforts on providing local, state, and federal law enforcement more resources in the collective effort to secure communities across the state, United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon has added four new Assistant United States Attorneys to her staff within a matter of weeks.  A fifth is slated to start in mid-October.  “Following Attorney General Sessions’ lead on our renewed efforts to combat violent crime, we have quickly responded to the call.  With, soon to be, five new federal prosecutors in three of our four offices in a span of just weeks underscores our dedication to the safety of South Carolinians.”

Sloan P. Ellis joined the Greenville US Attorney’s office on August 20, 2018.  Ellis will focus on Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Taskforce cases (OCDETF).  On October 1, 2018, Tina M. Cundari joined the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) housed within the Civil Division of the US Attorney’s Office in Columbia.  Justin W. Holloway and Derek A. Shoemake, both sworn in just this morning in a ceremony in federal court in Florence, officially joined the Florence office also on October 1.  Holloway and Shoemake will focus their efforts on violent crime prosecutions in the greater Pee Dee and Myrtle Beach region. 

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Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Anthony Scott Hunt, age 38, of Myrtle Beach, SC, was sentenced in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Hunt to 60 months in federal prison with 3 years of supervised release to follow. 

The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that on February 19, 2018, a complainant met with an officer at the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) regarding some disturbing Facebook posts by Anthony Scott Hunt, which were directed toward Horry County Police and Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU).  In the Facebook posts, Hunt referenced DEU in Horry County and stated he was “taking these…cops to war” and that he had automatic weapons, ammunition, and body armor.  He also stated he is “stalking my guns up” and that he had a “Beretta 45,” along with other specific guns, so he is “Ready for War.”  HCPD located, on the Facebook account, a picture of Hunt wearing what appeared to be a “Raiders” jersey and hat, bandana mask, and beaded bracelets while holding what appeared to be a Beretta pistol. 

Horry County detectives obtained a search warrant for the property where Hunt lived and located, in Hunt’s living quarters, a Beretta .45 caliber handgun, loaded with rounds of ammunition, along with the jersey, hat, bandana, and bracelets Hunt was depicted wearing in his Facebook picture.  Prior to his possession of the firearm, Hunt had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Horry County Police Department, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, the Horry County Myrtle Beach Violent Crimes Task Force, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Bomb Team and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases.  Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.  Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office handled the case.

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Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Micah R. Vickery, age 37, of Greenville, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson, for possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A.  United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Vickery to 5 years’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that law enforcement conducted a proactive investigation involving a file-sharing network used by individuals with an interest in child pornography.  An undercover officer downloaded a video that Vickery had available for sharing. 

A federal search warrant was obtained and executed.  Electronic devices were seized and law enforcement found 900 images of child pornography.  Vickery admitted to having a problem with all sorts of pornography and admitted to searching for and downloading child pornography.  Agents found images of children under the age of 18, and some prepubescent, engaged in the lascivious display of the genitals and sexual activity.

The case was investigated by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.

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

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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that an arraignment has been scheduled in the case of United States v. Daniel Edward Johnson and Nicole Halliett Holland, Case No. 3:18-863.  Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges will preside.

 

WHEN:  Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 10 a.m.

WHERE:  Matthew J. Perry Courthouse

              901 Richland Street, Courtroom # 8, Columbia, SC   

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Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Justin Michael Hannah, age 39, of Hanahan, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).  United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel, of Charleston, sentenced Hannah to forty-one months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release with 24 months of electronic monitoring and home confinement.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on August 21, 2017, police officers responding to a 911 call regarding suspicious behavior at a North Charleston gas station, discovered two firearms in a vehicle operated by Hannah. Hannah had prior felony convictions, and North Charleston Police believe that they may have foiled a robbery.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and officers of the North Charleston Police Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.

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