10th Circuit Solicitor

March 19, 2014

(Anderson, SC). Mauricio Weber was found guilty today of the murder of Patrice Jones in 2010. The Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Weber to life in prison for Murder and 5 years for the Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime.  

In August of 2010, Mauricio Weber and his girlfriend, 20 year old Patrice Jones, had been visiting his mother at an apartment complex in Anderson. Weber had been arguing with Ms. Jones for a while when Weber began to stab her. Weber’s mother went to a neighbor’s apartment screaming for help. When the neighbor ran over to Ms. Weber’s apartment, he witnessed the stabbing. The young man who witnessed the crime called 911. Ms. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene. She had been stabbed 14 times.  

“Patrice Jones left behind a small child and a loving family,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams. “Mauricio Weber took her life because, as he said, ‘she disrespected him.’ Thanks to the actions of a neighbor and the efforts of law enforcement in coordination with our office, this jury agreed that he is a cold-blooded killer who should spend the rest of his life in prison.” 

February 26, 2014 

(Anderson, SC). Devon Shermayne Thomas was found guilty today by an Anderson County jury of 4 counts of Attempted Murder. The Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Thomas to 10 years in prison on each count to be served concurrently and 3 years suspended to 5 years’ probation on 4 counts of pointing and presenting a firearm to follow incarceration. 

On March 25, 2012, a birthday party was being held at the Honea Path Shrine Club for a 16 year old young woman. During the party, several guests began to fight. The fight ended up outside in the parking lot area where shots were fired. One of the four victims was shot in the leg.

“Devon Thomas was violently reckless in his actions and it is clear from the evidence that he intended to shoot and fatally injury the victims,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams.  “Firing a weapon in the manner that he did is a serious crime and comes with serious consequences.  I hope that today’s verdict and sentence sends a message to others in the community that gun violence is never the answer and if you fire a gun at someone we will vigorously work to ensure you are sent to prison.”

February 7, 2014

(Anderson, SC). Twenty-one year old Javon Palmer pled guilty on February 6, 2014 to multiple charges relating to two armed robberies in February and March of 2013. The Honorable “Ned” Miller sentenced Palmer to 30 years suspended to 18 years in prison to be followed by 5 years probation.  

On February 5, 2013, the defendant along with others entered the Arby’s on Pearman Dairy Road in Anderson. Armed with handguns, the defendant robbed the restaurant taking all the cash in the store. On March 11, 2013, the defendant and others went back to the same restaurant at closing time, once again armed with handguns, to commit an armed robbery. The victims advised that they were then forced to the back of the restaurant. When one of the victims attempted to flee, he was shot in the leg. Further investigation led to the arrest of Javon Palmer and others.  

“Javon Palmer’s actions terrorized several innocent victims who were just doing their job,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams.  “It is clear by his committing a second robbery and by shooting one of the victims that Javon would have continued to be a violent threat to our community.  These actions called for this lengthy prison sentence which will have Javon behind bars until he is almost 40 years old.”

February 4, 2014

(Anderson, SC) Charlie Gene Wood received a twenty-year sentence today in Anderson General Sessions Court following his guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Renee Charping in 2011. The Honorable Edward Miller presided.

On December 6, 2011, Anderson County deputies responded to a call regarding a deceased female, who was eventually identified as Renee Charping, 42 years of age, located outside of her car at 727 Little Mountain Road in Anderson County.  Two bystanders had initially located the body and also found an infant child in the back of the car who had not been harmed.  They took the baby to their home until the deputies arrived.  Charlie Gene Wood was identified as one of the last persons to have been seen with the victim when she was alive.  According to witnesses, the victim had come into contact with the Defendant when she was looking to buy meth and the two drove off in her car together, with the baby in the backseat.  Two receipts for pseudoephedrine were located in the car, and investigators were able to obtain surveillance videos from the pharmacies wherein the victim was seen buying the pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in the manufacturing of methamphetamines. Several other witnesses report seeing the Defendant after the incident would have occurred and stated he was acting strangely and had made an admission of sorts regarding having killed Charping.  When questioned by law enforcement, the Defendant claimed that Charping was setting him up and that she pulled a gun on him and tried to rob him. However, he also stated that he blacked out and did not know what happened. The Defendant’s fingerprint was located in the victim’s blood on the window of her car and his jacket with his ID was also located at the crime scene.  Autopsy results showed the victim died as a result of massive blunt force trauma from multiple blows to the head. The toxicology reports indicate that the victim did have meth in her system, with levels suggesting recent use.

“The vicious nature of the crime, plus the fact that a baby was in the back seat when it happened, demanded that Mr. Wood be punished severely,” stated Solicitor Chrissy Adams.  “We hope this brings the family of Renee Charping some sense of justice and closure. We want to assure our community that the law is in place to protect all people, regardless of circumstances.”

January 30, 2014

 (Walhalla, SC). Twenty-two year old Jessie Wayne Davis was convicted of

multiple counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, 1st degree and 3rd

degree today in Oconee General Sessions Court. The Honorable Alex

Macaulay sentenced Davis to life in prison. 

On January 4, 2013, law enforcement responded to a call regarding

allegations of the sexual assault of two minor children, ages 6 and 10, at an

address in Westminster, SC. The defendant had been residing in the home of

the 10-year old victim and the younger victim was a neighbor. Physical

evidence found at the scene corroborated statements given by the victims.

Both victims showed evidence of injury consistent with sexual trauma. The

defendant also gave incriminating statements when interviewed by officers

from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. 

“Preying on innocent children is the most despicable thing an individual can

do,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams. “Today, we put a child molester behind

bars because these two brave children did what can sometimes be difficult

for a child to do and that is tell an adult about their abuse and confront their

attacker in court. For that bravery, our community is grateful. It is my hope

that knowing Jessie Wayne Davis will be serving the rest of his life in

prison, these victims and their families can recover from the trauma they’ve

had to endure because of him. I also want to take this opportunity to thank

the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work in this case.

Their collection of evidence and thorough investigation were instrumental in  

the outcome of this trial.”

December 11, 2013

(ANDERSON, SC). Jonathan Craig Roe pled guilty today in Anderson General Sessions Court to Murder in the death of his wife in January of 2013. The Honorable Alex Macaulay sentenced Roe to 40 years in prison.  

On January 6, 2013, Jonathan Craig Roe contacted law enforcement in Lower Allen, Pennsylvania, telling them that he had shot and killed his wife in Iva, SC. He was arrested shortly thereafter by Lower Allen Police who immediately contacted law enforcement in South Carolina. Roe was extradited to Anderson County where he has been awaiting trial.  

“By his own admission, Jonathan Craig Roe is a violent man,” stated Solicitor Chrissy Adams. “Nothing the justice system does can bring Sonja Roe back to her family but hopefully her family can begin to heal knowing that her killer will be behind bars for the next 40 years.”

December 5, 2013

(Anderson, SC) .An Anderson County jury found John Kennedy guilty today in the murder of Claude “Schaffer” Scott. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced Kennedy to 30 years in prison. 

On March 30, 2012, deputies responded to a call on Echo Circle in Anderson regarding an injured man found inside his home. Deputies found the victim, 76 year old Claude Schaffer Scott, lying inside the doorway of his home severely beaten. A neighbor had come by to check on him when she encountered a black male later identified as John Fitzgerald Kennedy coming from behind the trailer where Mr. Scott lived. Kennedy had been staying in a camper belonging to the victim on the same property. The neighbor stated that Kennedy drove away from the scene in the victim’s automobile. The vehicle was later found on South Main Street in Anderson. A frying pan found at the scene was believed to be the murder weapon. Mr. Scott was transported to AnMed Medical Center where he made a statement to an Anderson County detective identifying his attacker. The victim died a short time later. 

“Today’s verdict is justice for Mr. Scott and his family,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams.  “John Kennedy violently attacked and murdered an elderly man who had allowed him to stay on his property.  These reprehensible actions are well deserving of the sentence handed down today.  I want to thank law enforcement for their quick apprehension of the defendant and the men and women of the jury for rendering the only possible verdict in this case, a verdict that will protect others in our community from further violence by John Kennedy.”