February 10, 2012

Pacolet teen charged with making bomb threat

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a teen in connection with a bomb threat that was called into Broome High School Monday.

17-year-old Michael Harvey Elgin of Pacolet, a student at the school, is charged with making a bomb threat and disturbing school. Authorities say students at Broome High informed the School Resource Officer that Elgin borrowed a classmate’s mobile phone and used it to call the threat into the school office–while he was in class at the school. The charges against Elgin will be heard in General Sessions Court. Elgin has been booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center. His bond has not been set.

Spartanburg Clerk of Court arrested on drug conspiracy charges

The Spartanburg County Clerk of Court Marcus Kitchens and Spartanburg County resident Terry Lanford were arrested that morning on federal drug Conspiracy charges. Federal law enforcement officials say Kitchens took cocaine and methamphetamines from the evidence room at the Spartanburg County Courthouse. Landford then allegedly sold the drugs to a Florida drug dealer who was in reality a confidential source for the Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA).

McDonald says Kitchens and Lanford were arrested Tuesday morning at a Spartanburg restaurant following an alleged payment for a drug transaction. Investigators say the meeting was monitored by law enforcement, and Lanford provided Kitchens with $3,000, for partial payment on an alleged drug transaction dating back to August. A DEA special agent said that Lanford was approached by Kitchens a year ago to find a buyer for the drugs. Kitchens and Lanford could be fined up to $2,000,000 and imprisoned for up to 20 years.

McDonald says it was a serious crime.  “Anytime a person in a position of authority and trust abuses that trust, it’s very discouraging,”  he says, ”particularly when the accusations involve stealing drugs from an evidence room.”

McDonald says the FBI will join the investigation. Both men have been released after posting bond.

Sentencing commission report addresses “revolving door” of prisons

After a yearlong study of how to improve crime sentencing in South Carolina, lawmakers teamed up to release a list of reforms, including how to deal with parolees who break the law again. Commission Chair Senator Gerald Malloy, a Darlington Democrat, says their recommendations include risk assessments of parolees, a hot-button issue this week as a Charleston deputy was shot repeatedly by a recently-paroled repeat offender.

Senators Knotts (L) and Malloy

Malloy says,  “This risk accessment are the issues that will come right into the face of this issue. You’re going to be able to better determine the criminogenic aspects of every individual that comes out. The anti-social issues that they would end up having.”

Lexington Senator Jake Knotts, formerly a law enforcent officer, served on the commission. He says parole issues are at the top of his list: “To put qualifications on the Department of Pardon, Probation and Parole director, and also the members -to make sure that people had a background in Probation, Pardon and Parole or educational requirements to be the head of the department of Pardon, Probation and Parole. Right now, there’s no requirements on it.” [Read more...]

Graham introduces bill to block civilian trials for 9/11 conspirators

Senator Lindsey Graham introduced federal legislation Tuesday to cut off funding for alleged 9/11 conspirators to face prosecution in federal courts, saying they should be tried by military commissions instead. A similar measure put forth by Graham was defeated 54-45 in the Senate in November. However the White House ordered the Justice Department last Thursday to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after relenting to a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan. The dramatic turnabout came hours after New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg expressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder that he would prefer that the trial be held elsewhere, reversing his position that the prosecution should happen where the crime happened. Graham and other supporters of his latest measure feel that the political climate has changed from November because of the failed Christmas Day airline bombing plot. [Read more...]

Legislative Audit Council reviews SC Lottery

South Carolina law requires that the Legislative Audit Council conduct periodic management audits of the South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL). In this audit, issues addressed include procurement, ticket security, player demographics, and sales to minors.

The LAC  report says “Overall, they found that the lottery was well-managed.”

In some instances, the lottery’s procurement records did not clearly state the reasons for awarding contracts to private companies which help in developing and operating scratch-off games and number selection games. However, the new director says she’ll improve that accountability. [Read more...]