Charleston Man Indicted, Arrested for False Statements During Ravenel Investigation
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 19, 2009 |
COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Pascal Andre Etcheber, age 45, a French citizen residing in Charleston, was charged in one-count Indictment with making false statements to federal agents, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. The indictment alleges that Etcheber provided false information in October 2007 during an investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Etcheber was interviewed by federal agents as part of the Thomas Ravenel drug investigation.
Etcheber was arrested yesterday and remains in custody. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. United States Magistrate Judge Robert Carr will preside over the detention hearing.
The maximum penalty Etcheber could receive is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment for five years.
Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the FBI and ICE, and agents of the State Law Enforcement Division, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney Mark Moore of the Columbia 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.