Federal Grand Jury Indictments

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

Cheraw Woman Indicted for Theft of Government Funds

Crystal M. Hatcher, age 42, of Cheraw, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with theft of government funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. The maximum penalty Hatcher 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 E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution.

Tennessee Man Indicted for Theft of Government Funds and Aggravated Identity Theft

Don Carlos Lee Gibson, Jr., age 65, of Churchill, Tennessee, was charged in a four-count Indictment with theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and 1028A(a)(1). The maximum penalty Gibson could receive is 14 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution.

Michigan Man Indicted for Acquiring Controlled Substances by Fraud

James Lander Wertheimer, age 41, of South Haven, Michigan, was charged in a one-count indictment with acquiring controlled substances by fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 843(a)(3). The maximum penalty Wertheimer could receive is four years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of DEA Diversion and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution.

Bennettsville Man Indicted for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography

Freddie Green, age 66, of Bennettsville, South Carolina, was charged in a two-count indictment with attempted receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2) and 2252A(a)(5)(B). The maximum penalty Green could receive is 20 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well

Florence Lawyer Indicted for Mail Fraud

William J. Rivers, IIIinois, age 47, of Florence, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with mail fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. The maximum penalty Rivers could receive is 20 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution.

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