JOHN F. ANDERSON

Greenwood, S.C.; August 23, 2018 – A Hodges con man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from an elderly neighbor, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Thursday.

John Fitzgerald Anderson, 53, was found guilty Wednesday afternoon of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, receiving stolen goods, failure to stop for blue light, driving under suspension third and subsequent offense, and trespass after notice. A Greenwood County jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges after deliberating for just over three hours.

Circuit Judge Jocelyn Newman sentenced Anderson to the maximum sentence on each of the charges: 10 years in prison on receiving stolen goods, five years in prison on exploitation of a vulnerable adult, three years in prison on failure to stop for blue light, 90 days on driving under suspension, and 30 days on trespass after notice. All sentences will run concurrently.

On May 30, 2017, members of the 89-year-old victim’s family filed a police report alleging that Anderson had been taking the elderly woman’s money. The elderly victim had been declared a vulnerable adult in November 2016. Anderson was put on trespass notice at that time and the banks were notified to contact the woman’s family if she showed with Anderson again.

On June 28, 2017, investigators were notified by the family and by a bank that Anderson and the victim had just withdrawn $300 from the victim’s account at First Citizen’s Bank in Ware Shoals. Deputies with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office spotted Anderson immediately and attempted to pull Anderson over. Anderson immediately began to flee from deputies and led them on a chase for nearly four minutes at a high rate of speed before crashing his vehicle.

Anderson was indicted for stealing $116,602 between January 1, 2017 and June 28, 2017. The family believes Anderson was able to coerce the victim into giving him more than $250,000 prior to January 1, 2017.

Deputy Solicitor Yates Brown and Assistant Solicitor Anna Sumner handled the case for the state with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Windy Chappell and Victim Advocates, Mary Ann Stroup and Sarah Parris. Anderson was represented by Tristan Shaffer and Chris Fedalei of the Greenwood County Public Defender’s Office.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with Inv. Ronny Powell and Dep. Urban Mitchell Jr. of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office in securing the conviction.

“Only a despicable, wicked person would rob an elderly woman of her entire life’s savings,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the sentencing. “This victim and her late husband did everything right, saved their whole lives and retired to enjoy their twilight years. John Anderson took advantage of a lady’s generosity for his own selfish gain. We are satisfied that justice has been served and Anderson will be a resident of our prison system for a long time.”

WILLIAM ROBERT RICHARDSON SR.

Greenwood, S.C.; June 15, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Friday that a Greenwood County meth cook was sentenced to 15 years in prison after entering a guilty plea just moments before jury selection was to begin in his trial.

William Robert Richardson Sr., 47, changed his plea to guilty Thursday morning just as prosecutors and defense attorneys were ready to begin the process of selecting a jury in his trial. Richardson pleaded guilty to manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense, and threw himself on the mercy of the court. He was initially charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, third offense.

Circuit Judge Donald Hocker then sentenced Richardson to 15 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed under state law for the crime.

On April 7, 2017, the Greenwood Drug Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant at a residence located in the Greenwood Mill Village. Inside the home was the defendant and his wife. Agents located an active one-pot meth lab as well as all the necessary items to make meth. Agents also located empty bottles with meth sludge indicating additional meth had recently been made, along with additional items used to manufacture meth in the garage of the home.

Assistant Solicitors Wade Dowtin and Julie Kate Keeney handled the case for the state. Richardson was represented by Ivan Toney of the Greenville County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with Lt. Jaime Lovett, Sgt. Dyar Archibald, Agent Wesley McClinton and former agent Bryan Louis of DEU in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

“Though much of the focus has rightfully shifted to the opioid crisis in our country, homespun meth labs continue to destroy families and ravage our communities,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the proceeding. “My office will continue to take the fight to poison pushers like William Robert Richardson until we get it off of our streets.”

THOMAS ALLEN SMITH

Greenwood, S.C.; June 15, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Friday that a Greenwood man was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being convicted of a 2016 bank robbery.

A Greenwood County jury needed just 13 minutes to deliberate and return a guilty verdict on Thomas Allen Smith, 53, for the 2016 armed robbery of the South State Bank located at 1224 Bypass 72 NE. Circuit Judge Donald Hocker then handed down an 18-year prison sentence to Smith.

On February 18, 2016, a male subject later identified as Smith entered the South State Bank wearing blue overalls with a dark colored hoodie underneath and sunglasses. The armed robber approached the teller in the bank and handed her a note that said he had a bomb and that she was to give him all the money. The teller did what she was told and gave the armed robber what money she had in her drawer at the time, $2,330, and placed the money in a blue bank bag that he brought in with him. The bank bag is where the alleged bomb was located. Once the armed robber had the money, he took the note and left the bank. He fled on foot and then got in a white Volkswagen Passat fleeing the scene.

A picture of the suspect and the white vehicle were posted in the local media and approximately four hours after the incident occurred, a tip was called in that the subject had recently purchased the vehicle used in the armed robbery from Ballentine Ford. The name of Thomas Allen Smith was given as the customer who bought the vehicle and his address was 407 E. Northside Drive, Greenwood.

A search of his home revealed the white Volkswagen Passat, the blue overalls, dark colored hoodie, sunglasses and a fresh burn pile. However, Thomas Allen Smith was not located at the home.

A former employer of Thomas Allen Smith viewed the bank surveillance video and was able to positively identify Smith as the armed robber.

The investigation continued and two days later an anonymous caller gave a tip that the armed robber was seen at the Lil Cricket on Bypass 72. The tipster believed Smith to be at the America’s Best Value Hotel under another name. The Greenwood County SWAT team responded and took Smith into custody.

Deputy Solicitor Yates Brown and Assistant Solicitor Micah Black prosecuted the case for the state with the assistance of 8th Circuit Investigator Chris Wilkie. Smith was represented by Carson Henderson of the Greenwood County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with Capt. Mitchell McAlister, Lt. Mike Dixon, Lt. Jaime Lovett, Sgt. Blake Moore, Sgt. William Kay, and Sr. Master Patrolman Wesley McClinton of the Greenwood Police Department, along with Lt. Josh Hood and Det. Whitfield Brooks of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office in securing the conviction.

“Bank robberies can have a devastating effect on the feeling of security in a community, from employees of the bank to the average citizen who hears about it and wonders if something like this will happen the next time they are at their own bank,” said Solicitor Stumbo said following the trial. “I cannot say enough about the excellent work of our law enforcement officers and their dogged persistence in bringing Thomas Allen Smith to justice. My office will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in blue to keep our families safe.”

MONTAVIOUS O. PARKS

Greenwood, S.C.; June 4, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Monday that a Georgia man was sentenced to 26 years in prison for his role in the killing of a 21-year-old Greenwood man who was cooperating with police on another crime involving the Georgia man.

Montavious O’neal Parks, 33, of Walton County, Georgia, pleaded guilty Monday morning to voluntary manslaughter in connection to the 2012 shooting death of 21-year-old Tavaris Kiwan Lester. Circuit Judge Frank Addy Jr. accepted the plea and imposed a 26-year negotiated prison sentence.

The case against Parks was scheduled to be called for trial during the June 11 term of court in Greenwood County.

In November 2012, Parks and at least one other individual went to a residence on Moss Creek Lane in Greenwood and fired two shots into the window of the residence, hitting Lester in the back. Officers with the Greenwood Police Department were able to revive Lester at the scene, but Lester succumbed to his injuries a week later at Self Regional Healthcare.

Parks and Lester were involved in an armed robbery incident together in which a person was shot. Lester gave a statement to police about the incident. After Lester provided the statement to police, Parks and another man, Blake Parrish, began looking for Lester. Parrish received a text message from someone inside the Moss Creek Lane residence stating that Lester was at the residence. Parks, during the plea proceeding, asserted that it was Parrish who pulled the trigger. Parrish was charged in connection to Lester’s killing, but died in 2016.

Parks was located just days later in the custody of authorities in Georgia on unrelated assault charges. Parks was released in January of this year and immediately turned over to authorities from Greenwood.

Deputy Solicitor Yates Brown and Assistant Solicitor Josh Thomas handled the case for the state, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Courtney Smith and Victim Advocates Mary Ann Stroup and Sarah Parris. Parks was represented by Montrio Belton of the Abbeville County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with Lt. Mike Dixon, Capt. Travis Anderson, and Sr. Master Patrolman Wesley McClinton of the Greenwood Police Department in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence for Parks.

“Our community should never become desensitized to the senseless taking of another life, especially when a victim like Kiwan Lester is killed simply for trying to do the right thing,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the sentencing.  “Our folks have worked very hard over the past five years with the city’s investigators to finally bring this dangerous killer to justice, despite major obstacles to prosecution.  My hope is that the Lester family can now finally begin to heal.”