Former Florence County Deputy Sentenced to 400 Years’ Imprisonment

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney William N. Nettles announced today that TIMOTHY JAMES POOLE, age 36, was sentenced on June 3 in federal court by United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell to 20 years consecutive on 20 counts of mail and wire fraud, for a total sentence of 400 years. Judge Harwell sentenced Poole to the maximum term of imprisonment available. Poole was convicted after a two-week trial in March of mail and wire fraud in connection with the August 1, 2006, double murders of Linda Poole Hilton and Henry Hilton.

Evidence in the case established that Timothy Poole shot and killed his adoptive mother, Linda Poole Hilton, and step-father, William Henry Hilton, Jr., execution-style at their Lakewood Plantation in Williamsburg County in order to obtain money from their trusts and estates. Timothy Poole served as a deputy with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office from 1997 to 2002.

USA Nettles said, “The United States justice system is the best in the world. In the face of this sort of horrific crime, our justice system depends on us setting aside our horror and analyzing the facts. That’s what the law enforcement officers in this case did. Justice depends on this reasoned, full investigation, and the result is a jury verdict based on reason not passion. We can all be proud of the system here, and the officers and prosecutors who handled the case.” Prosecuting AUSA Buddy Bethea and former AUSA Rosemary Parham  added, “It has been a long and difficult three years for the family and friends of Linda and Henry Hilton. We hope that the family, friends, and community will sleep a little better tonight knowing that the person who committed these horrific crimes will remain in prison.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Buddy Bethea and former Assistant United States Attorney Rose Mary Parham. The case was investigated by the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshal’s Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.