News

FLORENCE, S.C. — Laine Ormand Clark, Jr., 33, of Conway, was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tyre Amahdikeem Brooks, 23; John Matthew Railey, 36; and Ricky Shane Underwood, 43, all of Lancaster, were sentenced to a total of 27 years federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

FLORENCE, S.C. —Troy Benjamin Bittner, 55, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.  

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Derrick Santell Brown, 33, of Ravenel, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana.

FLORENCE, S.C. — Margaret Ward Heilman, 66, of Darlington County and Katherine Ward Gray, 60, of Florence County, were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freddie Antwon Thompson, 34, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, including Lance Corporal Justin Boyd of the Columbia Police Department.

FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a four-count indictment against Samual Earl Ramu, 33; Kathy Denise Roberts-Poston, 57; Michael Allen Dorsey, 56; Justin Allen Cox, 40; and Ryan Marie Lovell, 37, all of Florence, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The final defendant in an Upstate drug trafficking conspiracy, Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, after having served a prior federal sentence on similar charges. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging Jack Keegan Davis, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, with coercion and enticement of minors, production, distribution, and possession of child pornography*, and cyberstalking.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Contaurus Dermont Smith, 46, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jeffrey Alan Benjamin, 62, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to causing SCANA, a publicly-traded company, to keep false records in connection with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear construction project in Jenkinsville, South Carolina.