10th Circuit Solicitor

July 2, 2010
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(Walhalla, SC). Scuddy Timothy Walker pleaded guilty to Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, 2nd Degree on Thursday, July 1st in Oconee County General Sessions Court. The Honorable Alex Macaulay sentenced Walker to 20 years suspended to 10 years with 5 years probation, sex offender counseling and registry, and alcohol and drug treatment and testing.

On February 20, 2009, the victim was visiting Walker’s family at his home. The defendant consumed alcohol heavily and also allowed the victim to consume alcohol to the point of heavy intoxication. After the defendant’s family members had gone to bed, the defendant had sex with the victim. The victim contacted family members who then contacted law enforcement. 

“Now that this case has been resolved, the victim can begin the recovery process knowing her abuser will be in prison for the next decade and a registered sex offender for the rest of his life,” said Solicitor Adams.

June 10, 2010
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(Anderson, SC).On March 31, 2010, an Anderson County jury found David Marion Johnson guilty in his absence of Trafficking Crack Cocaine and Possession of Marijuana. The defendant was subsequently picked up on a bench warrant on 6/8/2010 and brought before the Honorable Lawton McIntosh today for sentencing. Judge McIntosh sentenced Johnson to 30 years and $50,000 for Trafficking Crack Cocaine and 1 year (concurrent) for Possession of Marijuana. The defendant has a history of prior drug convictions. 

On 7/31/2009, officers with the Anderson County Gang Task Force were patrolling the area of Appleton, Reynolds, and Wenzick Street because of numerous complaints they had received for crime and drug activity. The officers observed Johnson take notice of them and immediately turn and walk away hurriedly. The officers observed Johnson discard a plastic baggie onto the ground as he entered the front yard of a residence. Officers retrieved the baggie and confirmed the contents to be 13.52 grams of crack cocaine. A search incident to arrest of the defendant yielded another plastic baggie found in the defendant’s pants pocket that was confirmed to be 6.9 grams of marijuana. 

May 19, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). An Anderson County jury has found Terrance Jarel Goss guilty of Armed Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy, and Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime. The Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Goss to 15 years for Armed Robbery; 5 years for Criminal Conspiracy and Possession of Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime which are to run concurrent.

On February 5, 2008, three individuals entered the BP station at 301 E. Shockley Ferry Road in Anderson and robbed the clerk at gunpoint. The robbers escaped with $927 in cash. The case was unsolved for seven months until an investigation by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office found that the guns used in a shooting incident on February 8, 2008 at the campus of Greenville Tech were a match to shell casings found at the BP station. Evidence and testimony linked the guns back to Goss and another individual. 

April 29, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). Shane Cantrell pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter today in Anderson General Sessions Court. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

On January 17, 2009, Cantrell, went to the home of Donovan Adams and stabbed him twice resulting in his death. The defendant had become upset that his girlfriend, Jessica Kirby, was cheating on him with Adams, a lifelong friend of Cantrell. Jessica Kirby was a witness to the incident which took place in the victim’s bedroom. The defendant gave a statement admitting to stabbing the victim. The weapon was recovered near the incident location and did have the victim’s blood on it.

April 29, 2010
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(Walhalla, SC). Sean Simpkins pled guilty today to multiple sex offenses in Oconee General Sessions Court. The Honorable Alex Macaulay sentenced him to 25 years for Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, 1st Degree, 20 years for Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, 2nd Degree, and 15 years for Lewd Act on a Minor. All sentences are to be served concurrently. Under “Jessie’s Law” Simpkins will be on mandatory GPS monitoring for life when he is released from prison and will be on the sex offender registry. He will also be listed on the Central Registry of child abuse and neglect.

Between December 1, 2008 and November 8, 2009, Simpkins engaged in a sexual relationship with a juvenile female who was between 10 and 11 years old at the time of the abuse. The incidents occurred in the defendant’s home in the city of Walhalla. The victim disclosed to family members and the Walhalla Police Department conducted an investigation. The defendant admitted to the crimes when questioned.

“Mr. Simpkins is a clear danger to the children in our community,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams. “Thanks to today’s sentence, he will spend more than two decades in prison and be monitored for the rest of his life so that he can never again harm another child.” 

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April 27, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). Following separate evaluations by both the State and the Defense, the Honorable Cordell Maddox accepted the plea of Guilty but Mentally Ill of William Bradley Scruggs today in Anderson General Sessions Court to multiple charges surrounding the death of Ronnie McCullough in August of 2009. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced Scruggs to life for Murder, life for Burglary 1st Degree, 30 years for Kidnapping, and 5 years for Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime. 

On August 5, 2009, the defendant broke into Ronnie McCullough’s home while he was gone. When McCullough returned, Scruggs held him at gunpoint for several hours before killing him and taking items from the home. Scruggs left in McCullough’s car which he later attempted to return to the wrong house. The victim’s body was found by family members on August 9th. The defendant stated to law enforcement that he had been hearing voices at the time of the murder. Scruggs was diagnosed as having paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder by forensic psychiatrists for both the state and the defense. 

April 20, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). Juan Carlos Garcia Sanchez pled guilty today in Anderson General Sessions Court to Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced Sanchez to 20 years suspended to 10 years in prison with 5 years probation to follow. Sanchez, who is in the United States illegally, will be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement on completion of his sentence.

On June 22, 2009, Angie Major awoke to her ex-boyfriend, Juan Sanchez, sitting on top of her with a knife in his hand. He said if he couldn’t have her, no one could and then stabbed her in the neck. She fought back and he stabbed her in the neck again. Sanchez eventually turned the knife on himself and cut himself twice. He fled the scene but returned shortly thereafter, where he was taken into custody. Major had been able to escape and call 911. She was in the hospital 10 days. 

April 6, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). Forty-five year old Billy Ray Burriss pled guilty today in Anderson General Sessions Court to Murder for the death of his wife, Suzanne Burriss in December of 2008. The Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Burriss to 30 years. 

On December 7, 2008, the defendant’s mother called 911 after hearing noise and seeing blood on the bed in the defendant’s room. Upon arrival Anderson city police officers found a large amount of blood in the bedroom as well as on the window and outside the window. A sawed-off shotgun was found on the floor of the bedroom. A canine unit eventually found the victim’s body in a trash can at a neighboring residence. Ms. Burriss died as the result of a single gunshot wound to the back. 

“Today’s sentence means an abusive husband and murderer will not be able to harm anyone else in our community,” said Solicitor Chrissy Adams. “This case represents a tragic loss of life and a reminder to our community that domestic violence continues to be a serious problem in our state.” 

March 30, 2010
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(Anderson, SC). Antonio Lintae Glover was found guilty today by an Anderson County jury of Trafficking Crack and Resisting Arrest. The Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Glover to 15 years for Trafficking Crack and 1 year for Resisting Arrest. The sentences will be served concurrently. 

On August 7, 2007, Glover was seen by officers of the Anderson Police Department making what appeared to be a drug transaction. When officers attempted to take the defendant into custody, he resisted. Once in custody, Glover was found to have 19.14 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket.

March 17, 2010
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(Walhalla, SC). An Oconee County jury found 36 year old Jeffrey A. Webb of Westminster guilty yesterday of two counts of Armed Robbery and two counts of Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime. The Honorable Alex Macaulay sentenced Webb to 20 years in prison.

On July 23, 2009, Webb entered a home on Little River Lane in Walhalla and pointed a gun at one of the residents. Webb hit the man in the head with the gun and stole the victim’s pistol. The defendant then proceeded to another room in the house and stole approximately $125 from a second resident at gunpoint. A shot was fired into the wall of the home. Another shot was fired as the defendant fled the scene. The victims called 911.

Deputies arriving on the scene located Webb at another residence in the area. After Webb ran into the woods still armed, the SWAT team was called out. Officers chased Webb but were unable to apprehend him at that time. He was captured three days later at a home in Seneca.

“Thanks to the excellent work done by law enforcement Mr. Webb was arrested before he could cause any more harm. Now, after the jury’s careful consideration and the sentence handed down by Judge Macaulay, Mr. Webb will remain in prison for a long time where he will no longer pose a threat to the safety of our community,” Solicitor Chrissy Adams.