Federal Grand Jury in Florence, South Carolina, Returns Indictments

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

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

Illegal Re-Entry Into U.S. After Being Deported
Jose Matias Benitez, age 43, of Horry County, South Carolina was charged in a 1-count indictment.  Jose Matias Benitez was charged with illegal re-entry into the U.S. after being deported, a violation of Title 8, U. S. C. §1326(a).  The maximum penalty Benitez could receive is 2 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by deportation officers of the U.S.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office for prosecution.

Illegal Re-Entry Into U.S. After Being Deported
Roberto Vasquez-Gonzalez, a/k/a Rober Gonzalez, age 23, of Horry County, South Carolina was charged in a 1-count indictment.  Roberto Vasquez-Gonzalez, a/k/a Rober Gonzalez was charged with illegal re-entry into the U.S. after being deported, a violation of Title 8, U. S. C. §1326(a).  The maximum penalty Benitez could receive is 2 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by deportation officers of the U.S.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office for prosecution.

Identity Theft
Lauren E. Blackwell, age 28, of Bishopville, South Carolina was charged in a 2-count indictment.  Lauren E. Blackwell was charged with identity theft, a violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §1028(a)(7), and unauthorized use of a credit card, a violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §1029(a)(2).  The maximum penalty Blackwell could receive is 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office for prosecution.

Manufacturing and Possessing Counterfeit Money
Donald Gene McIntyre, age 39, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was charged in a 2-count indictment.  Donald  Gene McIntyre was charged with manufacturing counterfeit money, a violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §471, and possession of counterfeit money, a violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §472.  The maximum penalty McIntyre could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the United State Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office for prosecution.

Embezzling Social Security Funds
Lucy Wallace, age 52, of Kingtree, South Carolina was charged in a 1-count indictment.  Lucy Wallace was charged with embezzling funds from Social Security Administration, a violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §471.  The maximum penalty Wallace could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the Social Security Administration and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office for prosecution.

New York Man Indicted for Trafficking Heroin
Dany Alexis Toro-Munera, age 29, was charged in a 1-count indictment for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, a violation of Title 21, U. S. C. §841(a)(1).  The maximum penalty Toro-Munera could receive is 40 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $2,000,000.  The case was investigated by the Florence County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence 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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