Federal Grand Jury in Greenville Returns Indictments

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

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

Spartanburg Resident Charged with Wire Fraud
Claus C. Foerster, age 55, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a 5-count indictment with wire fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  The maximum penalty Foerster could receive for each count is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Greenville Resident Indicted for Fraud by Producing Counterfeit Access Devices
Thomas Geter, age 41, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment with Access Device Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(4).  The maximum penalty Geter could receive is 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Belton Resident Indicted for Possession of Child Pornography
Kenneth Allen McCall, age 28, of Belton, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment with possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B).  The maximum penalty McCall could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Probation Office and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.  This case is being 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.

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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