The United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice (DOJ) are fully committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

Civil Rights Criminal Prosecutions

Federal Jury convicted Dylann Storm Roof and sentenced him to Death for the Mother Emmanuel Massacre. Charleston, SC. After three hours of deliberation, a federal jury in Charleston sentenced Dylann Storm Roof, 22, to death on January 10, 2017. On Dec. 15, 2016, the same jury had convicted Roof of 33 counts of federal hate crimes, obstruction of religious exercise, and firearms charges, for killing and attempting to kill African-American worshipers at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, also known as “Mother Emanuel.” “Motivated by racist hatred, Dylann Roof murdered and attempted to murder innocent African-American parishioners as they worshiped in the historic Mother Emanuel church,” said U.S. Attorney Drake. “But, contrary to Roof’s desire to sow the seeds of hate, his acts did not tear this community apart. Instead of agitating racial tensions as he had hoped, Roof’s deadly attack inside Mother Emanuel became an attack on all of us, and the community stood in solidarity. Now, following a trial, the jury has rendered a sentence that underscores the severity of his crimes. We here in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice want to express our condolences to the victims and their loved ones, and to commend the dedication and hard work by the jury, the law enforcement officers that worked the case, the victim advocate team, and the court to ensure a fair and just process.” The full press release is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/federal-jury-sentences-dylann-storm-roof-death.

Three Convicted for Sex Trafficking Throughout the Southeast (Mar 2017). Three individuals, Damon Jackson, age 24, of Columbia; Bakari McMillan, age 24 of Columbia; and Cory Miller, age 44, of Orangeburg; were convicted in federal court of participating in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. The case was investigated by agents from the North Charleston Police Department and the ICE- Homeland Security Investigations. At trial, evidence showed that the defendants persuaded dozens of young women to work as prostitutes with fraudulent promises, and some of these victims were minors. The defendants used the website Backpage.com to advertise sexual services throughout the Southeast.

Please see the separate press release at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/three-convicted-sex-trafficking-throughout-southeast.

Columbia Man Pleads to Sex Trafficking Charge  (Mar 2017): Alshura Tabil Annessa Frazier, age 36, of Columbia, South Carolina entered a guilty plea in federal court to sex trafficking of children. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Springdale Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that around Memorial Day in 2015, a minor female under the age of eighteen (18) left her family in North Carolina and met Frazier in Myrtle Beach.  Following this encounter, Frazier and others had sex with the minor in exchange for providing her with the recreational drug “Molly” and shelter for the night. After leaving Myrtle Beach, Frazier brought the minor to Columbia, South Carolina, where Frazier recruited her to perform sexual acts on clients for money.  Frazier posted the minor or had others post the minor on Backpage.com, a site known to be used for sex trafficking.  Frazier transported her to and from North Carolina and to and from South Carolina on multiple occasions for the purpose of prostitution. Frazier received one-hundred (100%) percent of the profits made from the prostitution.  The minor was sixteen (16) years of age at the time she began working as a prostitute for Frazier.  During this time, Frazier knew that the minor was under the age of eighteen (18).  Please see the separate press release at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/columbia-man-pleads-sex-trafficking-charge.

 

Federal Officials Close Investigation Into Use of Force by School Resource Officer at Spring Valley, South Carolina, High School (January 13, 2017).  Washington, D.C.  The Justice Department announced that there was insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against former School Resource Officer (SRO) Benjamin Fields for the physical force used in handling a student at Spring Valley High School on Oct. 26, 2015. Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of South Carolina, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI met with the student’s family and their representative to inform them of this decision.  After a careful and thorough investigation, the team of experienced federal prosecutors and FBI agents determined that the evidence was insufficient to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Fields willfully deprived the Spring Valley High School student of a constitutional right.  This decision is limited strictly to an application of the high legal standard required to prosecute the case under the federal civil rights statute; it does not reflect an assessment of any other aspect of the incident involving Fields and the Spring Valley High School student.  The full press release is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/federal-officials-close-investigation-use-force-school-resource-officer-spring-valley.

South Carolina Chapter of the NAACP (February 3, 2017).  The U.S. Attorney’s Office met with the President of the S.C. NAACP Chapter to discuss the federal Civil Rights program.  Attending from the office were U.S. Attorney Beth Drake, Affirmative Civil Rights Coordinator Rob Sneed, and Criminal Civil Rights coordinator Alyssa Richardson.

Islamic Society of Greenville (February 10, 2017).  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to fighting hate-crimes and upholding federal statutes that protect against religious and ethnic discrimination.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rob Sneed and Joe Brewer met with leaders of Islamic Society of Greenville to discuss the office’s and DOJ’s role in protecting against discrimination and preventing and prosecuting hate crimes.

Greenville County Human Relations Commission (February 10, 2017).  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to upholding the Fair Housing Act and other federal statutes that affect fair housing issues.  U.S. Attorneys Rob Sneed and Joe Brewer met with Executive Director Dr. Yvonne Duckett to learn more about each organization, and discuss ways that these two governmental entities can collaborate to protect people’s fair housing rights. 
 

South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (February 14, 2017).  AUSA Rob Sneed met with Scott A. Falcone, Director of the S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind, Division of Outreach Services.  They used the meeting to learn more about each organization and discuss ways that these two governmental entities can collaborate.

PRO-Parents (February 14, 2017).  AUSA Rob Sneed met with the Executive Director.  They used the meeting to learn more about each organization, and discuss ways that the Office and DOJ can act as a potential resource for PRO-Parents’ constituents.

South Carolina Human Relations Commission (SCHAC) (February 17, 2017).  AUSA Rob Sneed and Criminal Civil Rights coordinator AUSA Alyssa Richardson met with the Executive Director.  They learned more about each entity, their roles in enforcing civil rights laws, and discussed strategies that these governmental entities can collaborate to become ‘force multipliers’ to educate and prevent discrimination.

South Carolina Deaf Alliance  (March 10, 2017).  AUSA Rob Sneed participated in the periodic meeting of the SC Deaf Alliance, which was attended by several members and advocates in South Carolina’s Deaf Community.  The Alliance is a group of public and private agencies who serve the Deaf community in SC.

South Carolina Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) (March 13, 2017).  AUSA Rob Sneed met with the South Carolina Chapter President.  They used the meeting to learn more about each organization, and discuss ways that DOJ can be a potential resource for the NFB. 

ADA Summer Camp Initiative (March 31, 2017).  With summer approaching, parents and camps alike are making plans for terrific, fun opportunities for young campers to learn new skills and grow in their confidence and abilities.  We sent out a cover letter and flyer to 300+ summer camps across the state to remind them of their responsibilities and obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A separate press release is at  https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/summer-camps-must-reasonably-accommodate-children-disabilities.