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Press Release

Federal Grand Jury Indictments

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina

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:

Area Couple Indicted for Manufacturing Counterfeit Gift Cards and Identity Theft
Javon Richardson, age 32, of Ladson, and Latoya Simpson, age 31, of North Charleston, were charged in a 2-count Indictment with Making Counterfeit Gift Cards and Aggravated Identity Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1029 and 1028A.  The maximum penalty that Richardson and Simpson could receive is 10 years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and the North Charleston Police Department and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Guatemalans Charged with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens
Juan Gomez-Calmo, age 30, and Romeo Sales-Lopez, age 32, both of Guatemala, were charged in a 2-count Indictment with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and transportation of illegal aliens within the United States, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii), (a)(1)(A)(v)(I), and (a)(1)(B)(i).  The maximum penalty Gomez-Calmo and Sales-Lopez could each receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Matt Austin of the Charleston office for prosecution.

Mr. Nettles stated that the charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Updated July 15, 2015