10th Circuit Solicitor

Thomas Britt Alewine of Williamston pled guilty last month to Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery for an incident at the Dollar General located on Highway 252 in Belton, South Carolina. The Honorable Scott R. Sprouse sentenced Alewine to 20 years at the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He will not be eligible for parole as the offenses are considered violent and most serious under South Carolina Law.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Dollar General outside of Belton off Highway 252 on February 19, 2025, in reference to an armed robbery and shooting. When officers arrived, they found the victim on scene having been shot by an unknown white male who pulled out a gun and demanded money from the employees working the store. After a brief argument between the employees and Alewine, he fired a revolver at the victim, grabbed money from the register, and exited the building and the premises. The victim was struck by a bullet and was transported to the hospital and treated. Doctors determined that the bullet passed through the victim’s shoulder, avoiding striking any bones or any major arteries.

As the investigation progressed, Alewine became a suspect based on surveillance images made public by the Anderson County Sheriff Office.  Tips received at the Sheriff’s Office led investigators to the suspect’s home in Williamston. A search warrant from the suspect’s home security system from the day of the incident showed Alewine wearing the same exact clothing that the shooter wore at the Dollar General. Alewine ultimately confessed his actions to investigators.

Senior Assistant Solicitor Patti Ferguson prosecuted the case for the State with the assistance of Victim Advocate Brenda Smith. Elizbeth Chambers represented the Defendant. Solicitor Micah Black praised the work of lead investigator Cody Rhoads from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and other investigators for their work in quickly solving the case and apprehending Alewine. Black stated, “Thomas Alewine will spend the next two decades behind bars for his senseless actions last year at the Belton Dollar General.  We are thankful for law enforcement’s quick actions that day in treating the victim and then ultimately apprehending the defendant in this case, and I pray that the victim will be able to continue to heel from the physical and emotional trauma this situation has caused her and her family.”

An Oconee County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a drug investigation that ended with the seizure of trafficking weights of methamphetamine and cocaine, announced Tenth Circuit Solicitor Micah E. Black.

William Justin Holliday, 45, of Walhalla, pled guilty last week in Oconee to Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking Cocaine, and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime.  Holliday entered his guilty plea rather than face a trial scheduled for later in the month.  The Honorable R. Lawton McIntosh presided over the plea and sentenced Holliday to 15 years in the Department of Corrections.  This offense is considered both violent and serious and Holliday must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole. Holliday was represented by Catherine Wyse, Esquire, of Anderson County.

On December 12, 2024, Narcotic Investigators with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office uncovered the large quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine during the execution of a search warrant following several undercover buys from Holliday at his home on Rock Crusher Road.  Deputies placed Holliday under arrest after locating 14.93 grams of methamphetamine, 21.25 grams of cocaine, and a .22 caliber handgun in the home.  Lieutenant Anna Orr appeared before the Court and informed the Judge of Holliday’s history drug distribution and trafficking of narcotics in Oconee County. Holliday has numerous drug and property crime convictions in both South Carolina and Georgia.

Senior Assistant Solicitor Christopher Beeco prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance of Solicitor’s Office Investigator Jessica Sanders.  Solicitor Black praised the work of his team, along with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, in securing the lengthy prison sentence.   “Our office is proud to report that another career criminal will be serving a long-term prison sentence,” Solicitor Black said. “This sentence sends a clear message to guys like William Holliday who repeatedly disregard our laws and disrespect our communities that our prosecutors will continue to fight alongside our law enforcement partners to do everything in our power to rid our communities of these deadly and destructive drugs.”

An Oconee County man has been sentenced to 11 years in state prison following a drug investigation that began with a police pursuit and ended with the seizure of 129 grams of methamphetamine.

David Wayne Howard, of Westminster, South Carolina, pled guilty last week to Trafficking Methamphetamine, Failure to Stop for Blue Lights, and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime. Howard was represented by Lee Cole of the Anderson County Bar. The Honorable R. Scott Sprouse presided over the plea and sentenced Howard to 11 years in the Department of Corrections.

On August 9, 2024, Deputy Emily Jones with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office uncovered the large quantity of methamphetamine after attempting to stop Howard for separate traffic infractions.  The attempted traffic stop led to a pursuit and ended due to Howard colliding with a guard railing near Return Church Road.  Deputies placed Howard under arrest after finding him hiding in brush approximately twenty (20) feet from his overturned vehicle.  A search of the vehicle by Deputy Brody Pitts uncovered a Smith & Wesson .357 caliber revolver, a Steoger 9mm pistol, and 129.53 grams of methamphetamine. Narcotics Lieutenant Anna Orr appeared in Court and informed the Judge of Howard’s sordid history of drug distribution and trafficking of narcotics in Oconee County.

Howard had a prior conviction for trafficking methamphetamine in 2020.  This current offense is considered both violent and serious and Howard must serve eighty-five percent (85%) of the eleven (11) year sentence before he is eligible for community supervision.  Additionally, this is now Howard’s second “strike” under South Carolina’s “three strikes and you are out” law.

Senior Assistant Solicitor Christopher Beeco prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance of Investigator Jessica Sanders.  “This sentence sends a strong message that drug trafficking and attempts to evade law enforcement will not be tolerated in our community,” Solicitor Black stated. “We are grateful for the work from the personnel at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in this case, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat this poison and the people who traffic in it.”.

Jacquese Anderson-Savage pled guilty to Murder on Tuesday afternoon at the Oconee County Courthouse in Walhalla rather than face a trial for the 2024 murder of the victim Garrett White that occurred in Seneca at the Seneca Gardens Apartment complex on January 17, 2024, announced Solicitor Micah E. Black.

Judge R. Scott Sprouse sentenced Anderson-Savage to 45 years on Tuesday afternoon to the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Murder is classified as both violent and a “most serious” offense, and by statute, Anderson Savage must serve the entire 45-year sentence day-for-day before he is to be released.

On January 17, 2024, Seneca City Officers responded to the Seneca Gardens apartment complex on Laing Court at roughly 9:52 PM concerning a shooting in the parking lot. Officers found the victim deceased on scene with a gunshot wound to his upper back. Officers were able to speak with the victim’s girlfriend on scene, who was present during the shooting, and officers recovered a surveillance video from a neighbor to develop a profile of the suspect. Forensics officers recovered a spent shell casing at the crime scene that was discharged from a semiautomatic firearm, later proving to be a key piece of evidence in the investigation.

Several hours later, at 2:00 AM Seneca City Officers responded to a suspicious person call at a residence on Fox Creek Court, which is located beside the Seneca Gardens apartment complex. The caller reported that a suspicious individual knocked on their door and requested to use their telephone or their Wi-Fi password. This individual was described to dispatchers as wearing gym shorts and a T-shirt (despite temperatures being roughly 28 degrees at time), and the individual appearing to have leaves and brush in his hair and scratches on his body. Officers responded and they found Anderson-Savage hiding underneath a vehicle parked on the street at the residence where he was ultimately detained.  Canine Officer Austin Barnum then deployed K9 Bea, and she tracked a scent from where the defendant was detained on Fox Creek Court back to Seneca Gardens apartment complex where the shooting occurred roughly 4 hours earlier.

The next morning, day shift officers from Seneca PD responded back to the crime scene to further search the woods looking for any additional evidence, and officer Michael Durham found discarded clothing that matched the clothing identified as being worn from the shooter. In addition, a semiautomatic firearm was recovered beside the clothing in the woods. Those items were collected and sent to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED’s) Forensic Laboratory for testing. DNA results confirmed the clothing belonged to Anderson-Savage. Furthermore, the swabs taken from the firearm conclusively contained the defendant’s DNA. Finally, the shell casing recovered from the crime scene, matched the firearm recovered in the woods, determining that the recovered firearm was the murder weapon.

Solicitor Micah Black prosecuted the case for the State with assistance from Victim Advocate Brandi Davis and Investigator Jessica Sanders with the 10^th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Dick Warder, of the Greenville bar represented the defendant. Multiple officers with the Seneca Police Department played a pivotal role in the investigation and prosecution of the case including lead investigator Jason Sutherland, Investigator Mike Teramano, and Investigator Joe Sorenson. Solicitor Micah Black commended the team effort displayed by his office and the Seneca Police Department in ensuring justice was attained in this case for the White family.  “No amount of prison time will ever fill the void from the loss that the White family has experienced, but having witnessed the forgiveness they displayed publicly in court gives me hope that they will be able to move forward and have closure from this tragedy. However, my office will continue to prosecute the most heinous and violent criminals for their crimes, and we will work closely with law enforcement to ensure these violent offenders are removed from our community.”

Faced with the prospect of going to trial next week, an Anderson man pled guilty Wednesday morning to charges stemming from a domestic assault in 2023, announced Tenth Circuit Solicitor Micah E. Black.

Henry K. Brown, 48, pled guilty on January 21, 2026, to Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature.  The Honorable Thomas J. Rode sentenced Brown to fifteen (15) years in the Department of Corrections, where he will be considered a violent offender and will not be parole eligible.  This conviction also counts as a “strike” under South Carolina’s “three-strikes” law, meaning Brown may be subject to a life sentence if he is convicted of additional crimes when he completes his current prison term.

On October 15, 2023, Brown got into an argument with his wife at their residence in Anderson. Brown quickly escalated the argument into a physical one when he threw his wife to the ground, jumped on top of her, and began choking her.  Brown then retrieved a butcher knife, holding it to his wife’s face and threatening to kill her with it while she was still laying in floor dazed from the strangulation.  Brown then took his wife’s car keys, phone, and tablet and left the residence.  The wife ran across the street to a convenience store and called 911.  When Brown was located the next day, he still had his wife’s keys, phone, and tablet with him.

Assistant Solicitor Chase Kinsey prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance from Senior Assistant Solicitor Derek Polsinello, Investigator Joe Burke, and Victim Advocate Michele Carroll.  Solicitor Black praised the work of his team preparing this case for trial, and for helping prepare Brown’s wife to face him in court for the last time.  Additionally, he commended the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office for their professional work responding to the initial call for help and quickly bringing Brown to justice.

“Domestic violence continues to plague our communities in South Carolina and across the nation,” Solicitor Black said following the sentencing. “My office will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other partners across the Tenth Circuit to fight for victims of domestic violence and give them a path to becoming a survivor instead of a victim.”

An Anderson man pled guilty this week rather than face an upcoming trial for raping his wife’s juvenile daughter, announced Solicitor Micah E. Black

Austin J. Cole, 35, pled guilty on January 8, 2026, to Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor.  Circuit Court Judge R. Scott Sprouse sentenced Cole to twenty (20) years in prison, which is the maximum sentence allowed under South Carolina law.  Cole will not be parole eligible and will be considered a violent offender while in the Department of Corrections.  Cole is also now a registered sex offender.

In late 2023, Cole’s estranged wife moved her two children, one of which was the victim in this case, into Cole’s home in Anderson County. While the children were living with him, Cole engaged in sexual intercourse with the eleven (11) year old female victim on numerous occasions.  Law enforcement became aware of the sexual assaults when the victim and her sibling were found in the early morning hours of February 23, 2024, walking along Highway 28.  The juveniles told officers they were trying to walk to their mother’s house in Georgia to escape Cole’s sexual abuse.  A sexual assault examination was performed on the female victim, which located sperm that DNA testing proved belonged to Cole.  Officers also discovered a photograph on Cole’s phone of him engaging in sex acts with the victim.

Deputy Solicitor Josh Thomas prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance from Senior Assistant Solicitor Patti Ferguson and Investigator Michael Cox.  Solicitor Black praised the work of his team in securing this conviction.  He also praised Investigator Keonna Brooks of the Anderson Police Department for her diligent work building the case against Cole.

“Austin Cole was entrusted with the safety of the victim in this case, and he betrayed that trust in the worst way possible,” said Solicitor Black after the sentencing.  “No punishment the law provides can ever be adequate for what this offender did, but I take solace in the fact he received the maximum sentence the law allows and will serve the next two decades in prison.”

Solicitor Micah E. Black announced that the Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office recently completed its annual Christmas Toy Drive in conjunction with AIM Charity. Donations for the toy drive come from the participants in the Solicitor’s Diversion Programs as a part of their community service requirement. The donations provide Christmas gifts for children of all ages, from infant to teenager.

AIM takes pride in being an efficient non-profit organization that meets the needs of under-resourced individuals and families in Anderson and Oconee Counties.  AIM’s Christmas Program is only one of the many ways they serve our community.  Throughout the year AIM also provides many assistance programs such as Employment Pathways, Financial Stability, Hunger Ministries, Women & Children Succeeding, Pivotal Support Program and a Housing Rehabilitation Program, just to name a few.

This year’s donation from the Solicitor’s Office topped over $7,500 and will distribute gifts to over 500 children in our area.  Toys and gifts are also distributed throughout the community at events conducted in neighborhoods and local Fire Departments.

If you would like more information about the Solicitor’s Diversion Programs, you may contact the Solicitor’s Office at (864) 260-4042 or visit our website at www.solicitor10.org.  If you would like more information about the various community programs & support offered through AIM, you may contact them at (864) 226-CARE (2273) or visit their website at  www.aimcharity.org.

Two Anderson men were convicted this week for a string of crimes committed on December 29, 2022, that culminated in the death of an innocent 18-year-old woman, announced 10^th Circuit Solicitor Micah Black.

On November 24, 2025, after a six-day trial, an Anderson County Jury deliberated for just over two hours before returning several guilty verdicts against Mikial Hykeem Nashaun Ferguson and Nigel Eneiko Valentin Barner.  The jury found both defendants guilty of Murder, Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime, five (5) counts each of Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, and First-Degree Burglary.  The Honorable R. Scott Sprouse sentenced each defendant to forty (40) years in the Department of Corrections for the murder charge, and to several lengthy concurrent sentences on the remaining charges.  The lead sentence on the murder conviction must be served day-for-day, meaning the defendants will not be eligible for any kind of early release.

Barner and Ferguson’s crime spree began during the afternoon of December 29, 2022, when they kicked in the door of a residence in Anderson County.  The defendants believed the residence was empty, but inside they encountered a young mother and her infant child.  They held the woman at gunpoint and ransacked the house before leaving with some jewelry and an AR-15 style rifle.  Later that evening, the defendants took the stolen rifle to Fairview Gardens Apartments in the City of Anderson.  While there, they fired over 20 shots from multiple guns into an occupied apartment.  The barrage of bullets struck three people in the apartment, killing 18-year-old Imani Clemons.  Ferguson later took the stolen rifle used in the shooting to a bridge over Lake Hartwell and threw it into the water.  Divers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Underwater Search Team eventually recovered the rifle and confirmed it was the one stolen earlier in the day.  Local investigators also recovered cell phones from Barner and Ferguson, which included precise location data putting them at the scene of both crimes and incriminating messages bragging to others about committing the crimes.

Solicitor Black prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance from Deputy Solicitor Josh Thomas, Investigator Frank Wooten, and Victim Advocate Stephanie Joseph.  Multiple agencies helped in the investigation of this case, including the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.   Solicitor Black praised the cooperation and dedication of this multi-agency team in reaching this result, with particular credit to Detective Blake Vaughn and Lt. Brad Whitfield of the Anderson City Police Department and Detective Travis Bolton of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.  “No verdict or sentence can ever mend the hole left in the Clemons family from Imani’s tragic death, but I hope this conviction and sentence will bring some measure of peace to Imani’s family this holiday season,” Solicitor Black said after sentencing.  “I also hope it sends a message that Anderson County will not tolerate violence like these defendants engaged in that day, and that law enforcement and my office will continue to seek the full measure of justice for innocent victims like Imani.”

A Columbia, South Carolina, man was tried and convicted in his absence this week in Anderson County, announced 10th Circuit Solicitor Micah Black.

A jury found Kha Ree Bernard La’Tre Golden guilty of Trafficking in Cocaine (400 Grams or More) and Possession of Psilocybin after a traffic stop on Interstate 85 uncovered two kilos of cocaine and a large amount of mushrooms. Golden did not appear for his trial, but was represented in court by Ivan Toney of the Greenville Bar. The Honorable R. Lawton McIntosh presided over the trial and issued a sealed sentence and a bench warrant for Golden’s apprehension.  While the sentence is sealed until Golden is located, the trafficking charge carries a mandatory sentence of twenty-five (25) to thirty (30) years in prison and a fine of $200,000.  The charge is considered both violent and serious and Golden must serve 85 percent of whatever sentence he receives before he is eligible for parole.

On February 6, 2023, Sgt. Hunter Ruff with the Directed Patrol Until of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office uncovered the large quantity of drugs after stopping Golden for a separate traffic infraction.  When Sgt. Ruff went to conduct a search of Golden’s vehicle, Golden began running on foot into the woods near the interstate.  K9 officer Echo was deployed to track Golden, and eventually located him hiding in an abandoned structure next to Highway 24.  The search of Golden’s vehicle uncovered a large suitcase in the back seat containing two kilos of cocaine, almost a kilo of marijuana, and almost 6 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms. Testimony in court revealed that the cocaine alone would be valued on the street between $60,000 and $120,000 depending on how it was further distributed.

Assistant Solicitor Mary Catherine Harbin prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance from Assistant Solicitor Chase Kinsey. “Unfortunately, drug trafficking continues to be a profitable enterprise in our country and state,” Black stated. “I hope this conviction sends a message to those who would traffic drugs in Anderson County that their only reward here will be a long and uncomfortable prison sentence.  I am proud of the work of our prosecutors and our partners in law enforcement to continue fighting to hold these criminals accountable.”

Anderson County (SC)  Drug trafficker convicted and sentenced to 25 years for trafficking a kilo of cocaine

A Georgia man will spend the next 25 years in prison after being tried and convicted last week in Anderson County, announced 10th Circuit Solicitor Micah Black.

Kevin Eugene Hicks, of Austell, Georgia, was convicted last week in Anderson for Trafficking in Cocaine-400 Grams or More after a traffic stop by an Anderson County Deputy on Interstate 85 yielded a kilo of cocaine. Hicks was represented by Chuck Allen of the Anderson Bar. The Honorable R. Lawton McIntosh presided over the trial and sentenced Hicks to 25 years after the guilty verdict was returned.

On November 16, 2022, Sgt. Hunter Ruff with the Directed Patrol Unit of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office uncovered the large quantity of cocaine after stopping Kevin Hicks for a separate traffic infraction. A search of the vehicle ultimately uncovered the drugs hidden in the trunk of the vehicle. Testimony in court revealed that the cocaine discovered would be valued on the street between $30,000 and $70,000, depending on how the drugs were sold.

Hicks must serve 25 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections as a result of his conviction. This offense is considered both violent and serious and Hicks must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole. Hicks had a prior conviction for trafficking cocaine in North Carolina in 2004.

Solicitor Black prosecuted the case for the State, with assistance from Assistant Solicitor Alexandra Guarin. “Illegal Narcotics continue to destroy our community each and every day,” Black stated. “I am thankful to work with the dedicated narcotics officers at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, who strive every day to crack down on those bringing drugs into our community. We will continue to fight in the courtroom with Sheriff McBride’s officers to prosecute those individuals to the fullest extent of the law.”