News

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jaidan Latrell Alexander, 26, of Ladson, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Gordon “Rudy” Connell, 28, of Summerville, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Connell has numerous felony convictions, including for illegally possessing firearms (including sawed off shotguns), theft, and violent assaults. Since Connell turned 18, he has been arrested on 53 warrants in 20 incidents with 24 convictions. He was on probation at the time of this crime.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Samuel Alexander Gray, 53, of Leesville, has been sentenced to a year and three months in federal prison after pleading guilty to operating a dogfighting venture and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against Mark Weinberger, 62, of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, for health care fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against Marvin Rashad Pendarvis, 36, of Charleston, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a nine-count indictment charging four Beaufort-area defendants with sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking conspiracy, coercion and enticement, and child sexual abuse material offenses:

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Charles “Chuck” Wright, 60, the former sheriff of Spartanburg County; Amos Durham 61, a former chaplain for the department; and Lawson B. Watson 63, a former employee, have pleaded guilty for their participation in a public corruption scheme that defrauded the county of public funds for years.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A long-term investigation concluded today with the unsealing of an indictment in the District of South Carolina charging two foreign nationals with conspiring against the United States to illegally divert U.S.-funded global health commodities from a Kenyan government-run corporation, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA). 

COLUMBIA, S.C. —Robert John May, III, 38, of West Columbia, has pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.*

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former banker Russell Lucius Laffitte, 54, of Estill, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timothy Antonio Flanagan, 38, of Lancaster, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. 

FLORENCE, S.C. — Francisco Villa-Garcia, also known as Francisco Villa-Dominguez, Andres Busto, and Jesus Pineda Dominguez, 68, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in the importation of more than 8 kilograms of fentanyl from Mexico to South Carolina.