Charleston Man, Age 79, Charged with Producing Child Pornography

Raleigh County Man Charged with Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography; Wood County Man Charged with Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

BECKLEY, WV—United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that a Beckley federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jack E. Gravenmier, 79, of Charleston, with producing child pornography. The indictment charges Gravenmier with two counts of producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving three minors. The indictment alleges that Gravenmier induced the minors, who are referred to only by their initials, into engaging in the sexual conduct so he could produce a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment also includes a third count charging Gravenmier with possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on his computer.

The indictment seeks the forfeiture of Gravenmier’s house located at 833 Beaumont Road in Charleston as well as a Cutaway van (RV) which were used to commit the alleged crimes set forth in the indictment.

A second federal indictment handed down today charges Steven Russell Helton, 20, of Beaver, Raleigh County, with receiving and possessing hundreds of computer images and videos of child pornography.

A third federal indictment today charges Randall K. Taylor, 47, with failing to register as a sex offender in September 2011 when he moved from Ohio to Rockport, Wood County, West Virginia. Taylor was convicted of a sex offense in Ohio in 1991. He was required to update his registration under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act when he traveled from Ohio to West Virginia.

Gravenmier faces up to 70 years in prison, a $750,000 fine, and lifetime supervised release.

Helton and Taylor each face up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and lifetime supervised release.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force, the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the United States Marshals Service, and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Johnston is charge of the prosecutions.

The indictments were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvs/PSCpage.html. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and follow the link named “Resources.”

Three Indicted for String of 39 Armed Robberies

CHARLESTON, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a federal indictment was unsealed against three individuals, charging them for their roles in a series of armed robberies that occurred between July 2009 and March 2011. The robberies focused on Asian restaurants, check cashing businesses, and loan businesses, mostly occurring in or near Charleston County, but ranging as far as Walterboro, Holly Hill, and Georgetown.

Indicted are Raynard Montel Eady, age 29, of North Charleston; Christopher Donnell Simmons, age 33, of Wadmalaw; and Winard Montez Eady, age 29, of North Charleston. The indictment alleges that the three conspired to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. As well, all three are charged with using handguns in furtherance of the robberies, contrary to 18 U.S.C. §924(c). The conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. The firearm counts carry a mandatory five years’ imprisonment for a first offense, and any subsequent offense carries a mandatory, consecutive, 25 years’ imprisonment. Raynard Eady and Christopher Simmons were arrested as a part of a multi-agency investigation in February 2011 and charged with state offenses, including armed robbery, that are included as part of the federal indictment unsealed today. Both have remained in custody since that arrest. Winard Eady was arrested on May 18, 2012. All three were arraigned in federal court May 22, 2012, when the indictments against them were unsealed. Simmons was ordered detained after waiving a bond hearing. W. Eady and R. Eady will have hearings on their bond later this week.

The indictments are the result of a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Charleston Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Moncks Corner Police Department, Georgetown Police Department, Goose Creek Police Department, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Summerville Police Department, Folly Beach Department of Public Safety, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Walterboro Department of Public Safety, Andrews Police Department, Holly Hill Police Department, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, and Mount Pleasant Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams of the Charleston Office is prosecuting the case.

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.

Sixteen Individuals in Colletion and Dorchester Counties Federally Indicted as Part of Drug Conspiracy

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Ivory Brothers, Kyedrick Edwards, Jonathan Edwards, Joey Maurice Charles, Tiffany Elliot, Paul Steve Braxton, Edward Bryant, Bryant Davis, Rocky Creel, Elijah Deal, Gerwron Lingard, Jerry Rivers, Charles Youmans, Martin Louis Ballard, Norman Robinson, and Yvette Renee Calvin, of Colleton and Dorchester Counties in South Carolina, were charged in a five-count indictment with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, as well as possessing with intent to distribute and distributing crack cocaine, violations of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841. If convicted, these defendants face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and a $4 million fine.

The case was the result of a year-long investigation involving agents of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, which consists of members from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Police Department, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, the North Charleston Police Department, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the Summerville Police Department. Also involved in the investigation were members of the Walterboro Department of Public Safety. This case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Peter Phillips of the Charleston office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Final Detention Hearings Held for Nine Defendants Indicted on Heroin Charges

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that nine defendants named in a sealed indictment alleging a conspiracy involving more than a kilogram of heroin have been detained pending trial. On Friday, June 3, 2011 the Honorable Bruce Howe Hendricks conducted the last detention hearing. The Honorable Bristow Marchant had previously determined that the other eight defendants should remain in custody pending trial. In making its decision to detain the defendants, the court relied on the details of the conspiracy brought out at the detention hearing, including the seizure of approximately 10,000 bags of “SWAT” brand heroin from a secret compartment of a Infiniti SUV on May 15, 2011 just outside of Charleston.

United States Attorney Nettles noted that the indictment is the result of the work of an ad hoc task force created to address violent street gang drug crime in the City of Charleston. He said that the United States Attorney’s Office and the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office joined forces with the City of Charleston Police Department and federal law enforcement agencies, noting that the investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An Assistant Solicitor for the Ninth Judicial Circuit has been designated by the United States Department of Justice as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in order to be able to work with Nettles’ Violent Crime Task Force.

Nettles commended the efforts of these law enforcement agencies which have been working the investigation. “I always say that teamwork always works. Always. When we all work together, citizens get the best result. Speaking in general and not about this specific case, violent drug crime is a key issue we are attempting to address. Communities have been devastated by this type of criminal activity and we can only overcome it by joining forces.”

Chief Greg Mullen of the City of Charleston Police Department said that the partnership between the federal agencies and local police is effective. “We always look for opportunities to share resources, combine intelligence, and join efforts. We have focused on this type of crime in an effort to protect our community from the violence that comes from drug dealing. We will continue to work together to combat any criminal street gangs operating in our community.”

Rodney G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented, “DEA is a strong advocate of joining forces with all of the agencies in any community to investigate drug crimes. This investigation is a classic example. All the agencies joined in this investigation, and we will all continue working together to make Charleston a safer place.”

Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said that she learned when she was a federal prosecutor that when law enforcement agencies coordinates their work, the greatest benefit is to the local community. “You get a much bigger bang for your buck when everyone joins together. You avoid duplication of efforts and have a much greater impact on local crime. It is a great deal for the community,” she noted, observing that in a time when the budgets are stretched thin, it is always better to share resources.

Supervisory Special Resident Agent Brian Womble of the Federal Bureau of Investigation noted, “Drug trafficking crime and street gang violence is a major issue in the Charleston community and the FBI is pleased to join forces in this successful joint investigative effort.”

The eight individuals who were indicted were Gary Lamontt Smith, a/k/a Marion Alexander Smith, Jr., a/k/a Jermaine Arcel Turner, a/k/a G,”a/k/a Black; Jermaine Lorenzo Bailey, a/k/a Yellow; Kenneth Lamont Williams, a/k/a Reno; Travis Antwan Wright, a/k/a Malik Johnson, a/k/a Anthony McTerry, a/k/a Traves White, a/k/a Travis White, a/k/a Maurice Gadston, a/k/a Trav; Shawn Demetrius Blount, a/k/a Cut, a/k/a Ray; Ebony Dyshica Roper; Sarah St. John Eddleman; Nikia Renee Noisette, a/k/a Nikia Renee Noiette, a/k/a Kia Noisette, a/k/a Nakia Renee Noisette, a/k/a Big Red Noisette, a/k/a Red; Carlos Lnu; and FNU LNU, a/k/a Lil B.

All of the defendants face severe penalties under federal statutes, which do not allow for parole. Gary Lamontt Smith, Kenneth Lamont Williams, and Travis Antwan Wright each face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Jermaine Lorenzo Bailey, Shawn Demetrius Blount, and Nikia Renee Noisette each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Ebony Dyshica Roper, Sarah St. John Eddleman, and Bernard Jordan each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Additionally, two of the conspirators (Travis Antwan Wright and Shawn Demetrius Blount) are subject to an enhanced sentence increasing their term of imprisonment for 10 years for belonging to a criminal street gang. an enhanced 10-year federal sentence for their alleged membership in a criminal street gang.

Mr. Nettles advised that all of the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. He said that Assistant United States Attorney Sean Kittrell and Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Linder of the Charleston office are coordinating the investigation and prosecuting the case.