Federal Grand Jury Indictments

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a federal grand jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned indictment(s) against the following:

North Carolina Man Indicted for Armed Bank Robbery in Cowpens

Michael Shane Hardin, age 35, of Crouse, North Carolina, was charged in a two-count indictment with armed bank robbery and carrying a firearm during a violent crime, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a), (d) and 924(c). The charges arise from the January 3, 2012, armed robbery of First Citizens Bank, 105 W. Church Street, Cowpens. The maximum penalty Hardin could receive is life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Spartanburg Public Safety Department, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office is assigned the case for prosecution.

Laurens Residents Indicted for Theft of Government Funds

Joseph H. Panther, age 62, and Brenda Panther, age 63, both of Laurens, South Carolina, were charged in a one-count indictment with theft of government funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. The maximum penalty Joseph H. Panther and Brenda Panther could receive is 10 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Spartanburg and Ohio Residents Indicted for Selling Counterfeit Goods and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Fraud

Issa M. Saba, age 55, of Spartanburg, South Carolina; Hany Samir Nagib, age 46, of Spartanburg, South Carolina; Samer Hayel Issa Alamat, age 32, of Spartanburg, South Carolina; Azmi Azzam Al-Hamouri, age 40, of Hilliard, Ohio; and Ahmad T. Al-Mahmoud, age 29, of Hilliard, Ohio, were charged in a six-count Indictment with selling counterfeit goods and EBT fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 2320(a), and Title 7, United States Code, Section 2024(b)(1). The maximum penalty Issa M. Saba, Hany Samir Nagib, Samer Hayel Issa Alamat, Azmi Azzam Al-Hamouri, and Ahmad T. Al-Mahmoud could receive is five years’ imprisonment for violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and 10 years’ imprisonment for violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2320(a). Issa M. Saba, Hany Samir Nagib, Samer Hayel Issa Alamat could also receive 20 years’ imprisonment for violating Title 7, United States Code, Section 2024(b)(1). The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville 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.