Federal Grand Jury Indictments

United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:

Health Care Providers Indicted on Conspiracy and Health Care Fraud.  Donna Becker, age 54, of Greenville, South Carolina; Marcela Dolores Farrer, age 53, of Columbia, South Carolina; and Carol Guardiola, age 65, of Columbia, South Carolina, were charged in a six-count Indictment.  All three defendants were charged with Conspiracy, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; Bribery of Public Officials and Witnesses, a violation of Title 18 , United States Code, Section 201(c)(1)(B); and Acts Affecting a Personal Financial Interest, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 208(a).  The maximum penalty the defendants could receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or five (5) years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr. of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Greenwood Resident Indicted on Murder for Hire.  Brandon Cory Lecroy, age 25, of Hodges, South Carolina, was charged in a two-count Indictment with Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 373, and Use of Interstate Commerce Facilities in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1958(a).  The maximum penalty Lecroy could receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or ten (10) years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Two Individuals Charged with Possession of Contraband Cell Phones in Federal Prison.  Megan Eileen Wall, age 22, of Salisbury, North Carolina, was charged in a two-count Indictment with knowingly providing a contraband cell phone to William Lewis Meeks, an inmate of Edgefield Federal Correctional Facility, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(a)(1).  William Lewis Meeks, age 40, an inmate of Edgefield Federal Correctional Facility, was charged with knowingly possessing a contraband cell phone, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(a)(2).  The maximum penalty Wall and Meeks could face is a fine of $100,000.00 and/or imprisonment of not more than one year. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Prisons and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office.

Individual Indicted for False Claim to be a US Citizen.  Jose Rodolfo Morales Ruiz, age 20, was charged in a three-count Indictment with Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Other Documents, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a), which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $250,000 and/or ten (10) years imprisonment; False Claim to be a US Citizen, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 911, which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $250,000 and/or three (3) years imprisonment; and False Representation of a Social Security Number, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B), which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $250,000 and/or five (5) years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of ICE-Homeland Security Investigations and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville office for prosecution.

Townville Man Indicted on Federal Gun and Ammunition Charges.  Devon Samuel Prater, age 23, of Townville, South Carolina, is charged in a one-count Indictment with Felon in Possession of firearms and ammunition, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).  The maximum possible penalty Prater could receive, depending on his prior criminal history, is up to life imprisonment.  The case was investigated by the Anderson Police Department and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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.

#####