Federal Grand Jury Indictments

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina----United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following:

Younges Island Man Indicted for Investment Fraud
James Futch III, age 60, of Younges Island, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Wire Fraud, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  The maximum penalty that Futch could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the FBI and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Myrtle Beach Man Indicted for Theft of Government and Tax Fraud
Jose Boyzo, age 49, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was charged in a 1-count Indictment with Theft of Government Property involving the cashing of fraudulent tax refund checks, a violation of 18 U. S. C. § 641.  The maximum penalty that Boyzo could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Goose Creek Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry of an Alien Felon
Edwin Hernandez Hernandez, age 27, of Goose Creek, was charged in a one-count Indictment with Illegal Reentry of an Alien Felon, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(1) respectively. The maximum penalty Hernandez could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Ladson Man Charged with Manufacturing and Possessing Counterfeit Currency
Chad John Gilman, age 42, of Ladson, was charged in an Indictment with one count of Manufacturing Counterfeit Currency and two counts of Possession of Counterfeit Currency, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 471 and 472 respectively. The maximum penalty Gilman could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for each count. The case was investigated by agents of Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office for prosecution.

North Charleston Mother and Daughter Charged with Theft of Government Property
Mary Hayre, age 68, and Pamela Jeridore, age 44, both of North Charleston, were charged in a one-count Indictment with Theft of Government Property, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 641 and 2. The maximum penalty each defendant could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Charleston Restaurant Owner Charged with False Statement and Obstruction of Proceedings before Department of Labor
Jose Jamie Villalpando, a/k/a Jose Jamie Villapondo, age 47, of Charleston, and owner of Senor Tequila Restaurant in Charleston, was charged in a four-count indictment with one count of False Statement, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(1) and three counts of Obstruction of Proceedings before Departments, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1505. The maximum penalty Villalpando could receive for False Statement is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, and the maximum penalty he could receive for each count of Obstruction of Proceedings before Departments is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by agents of Department of Labor-Office of Investigation (DOL-OIG) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office for prosecution.

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

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