10th Circuit Solicitor

ANDERSON, SC–This week an Anderson County jury found James Milton Gambrell guilty of Solicitation to Commit Armed Robbery. The Honorable R. Scott Sprouse sentenced Gambrell the maximum sentence of 10 years in jail. His Co-defendant Woodrow Curry pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in August of 2017 and testified for the State in Gambrell’s trial. Following his testimony this week, Curry was sentenced to 28 years in jail.   A third Co-defendant, Jason Carver, was found guilty of Murder in August of 2017 and is currently serving a 30 year sentence. Curry had testified against Carver in his trial as well. 

On the evening of March 28, 2016, Jason Franklin Carver and Woodrow Curry were sent by James Milton Gambrell to a home in Powdersville to collect either drugs or money from victim Steven Cameron. Carver drove Gambrell’s white Buick Regal to the victim’s home with Curry in the passenger’s seat. When they arrived, the men were on the porch when an altercation ensued. During that altercation, Curry pulled a .25 caliber gun and shot Cameron twice in the chest. Cameron died almost instantly from his injuries. Carver and Curry were each charged with Murder. Gambrell was charged with Accessory Before the Fact and Solicitation of Armed Robbery. 

Solicitor David Wagner made the following statement following the sentencing this week:

         “All three of the men involved in this killing have decades to consider their actions in jail. Law enforcement did a fantastic job investigating this crime and working with my Office to secure these convictions. I hope these strong sentences give some closure to Mr. Cameron’s family today.”

Walhalla, SC —  Taylor Louise Bright appeared before the Honorable Scott Sprouse today in Oconee County pleading guilty in the death of her husband, John Taylor Bright in Seneca, SC in January of this year. The defendant, represented by Larry Brandt, pled guilty to Reckless Homicide and Unlawful Neglect of a Child. The State was represented by Asst. Solicitor Brian Livingston.  Judge Sprouse sentenced the Defendant to 10 years in prison for Reckless Homicide.  He also imposed a consecutive sentence of 10 years suspended on the service of 2 years and 5 years probation for Unlawful Neglect of a Child. 

On January 18, 2018, following a disagreement, Taylor Bright hit her husband with a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck and dragged him approximately 1600 feet under the truck through the streets of Seneca. Mr. Bright died as a result of chest and abdominal trauma. Although there had been one report of a domestic problem in 2016 which was determined to be unfounded, there had been no other calls to law enforcement regarding domestic matters between the Brights.  The Defendant and victim’s 4 year old daughter was in the truck during the incident.  Toxicology reports indicated Taylor Bright, who was pregnant at the time, was legally intoxicated and she also admitted using marijuana.

Solicitor David Wagner stated after the plea, “I applaud the outstanding work of the Seneca Police Department that helped secure a guilty plea in this case.  This case is a senseless tragedy that has forever impacted the lives of two families.  Taylor Bright’s toxic combination of anger, alcohol and motor vehicles has left two children to grow up without either parent.”

Anderson, SC — Earlier today in the Court of General Sessions in Anderson County, the Honorable Cordell Maddox, Jr. sentenced John David Cowans, Jr., to 17 years provided upon the service of 11 years, with the balance suspended to 5 years’ probation for Entering a Bank with Intent to Steal, more commonly known as Bank Robbery. 

On January 10, 2018, Cowans entered the TD Bank at 2808 S. Main Street in Anderson where he told the cashier he was robbing the bank and demanded bills in $100 dollar denominations.  Although it was later discovered that the defendant was unarmed, he got away with $1600 in cash.  The entire incident was captured on video surveillance, and Mr. Cowans later confessed after turning himself in to the Authorities. 

“The Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office has secured multiple convictions this week in both Anderson and Oconee Counties for Armed Robberies and Attempted Armed Robberies, but Bank Robbery is covered under its own separate statute under South Carolina Law”, said Solicitor David Wagner following Mr. Cowans’ sentencing.  “Sentences like this one will act as deterrents which will protect the business owners, banks, and citizens of Anderson and Oconee counties.”

Anderson, SC —  Earlier today in Anderson County General Sessions Court the Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced Jonathan Lewis to 15 years in jail with no parole for the charge of Armed Robbery. 

Just before 2 am, on June 5, 2017, while armed with a handgun, Mr. Lewis entered the Waffle House located at 103 Assembly Drive in Piedmont. He pointed his gun at several workers and a customer and demanded money from the register. He then reached over the counter and grabbed $700 from the register. He ran out of the restaurant and fired a shot as he did so. Mr. Lewis’ face and the gun he wielded, and the car he drove as he left the scene were captured clearly on surveillance videos of the incident. This allowed law enforcement to identify Mr. Lewis and led to his arrest. 

Solicitor David Wagner said this about today’s sentence: “Would-be robbers would do well to remember that technology, such as the surveillance cameras in this case, allow us to identify criminals much more easily than we could in the past. I hope that will cause individuals who might consider committing offenses such as this one to think long and hard before they make a mistake that costs them 15 years in jail, as it did Jonathan Lewis.”

Walhalla, SC – The Honorable Scott Sprouse sentenced Bobby Joe Shead of Seneca to 15 years with no parole after a guilty plea to Distribution of Methamphetamine, 2^nd Offense. The State was represented by Deputy Solicitor Lindsey Simmons.

Shead was arrested during a roundup of drug offenders in an effort to curb the methamphetamine epidemic in Oconee County.  The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, using a confidential informant, initiated a controlled narcotics purchase from Shead in November of 2017. Lab tests confirmed the substance which was sold by Shead to be methamphetamine.

“Bobby Joe Shead’s sentence is a warning to meth dealers in Oconee County. You will be caught and prosecuted. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office does a great job of identifying the dealers and gathering the evidence necessary to convict them. We will continue to prosecute these dealers to get them off the streets of Oconee County,” stated Solicitor David Wagner.

Oconee, S.C. –  Yesterday, in Oconee General Sessions Court before the Honorable Judge Scott Sprouse, defendant Chevis Morris pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Armed Robbery and Burglary 1st degree.  He received a negotiated sentence of 30 years in jail. 

On July 30, 2016, the victim, Jennifer Poore, was shot in her home in Anderson.  Mr. Morris had gone to that location with two other females, to visit.  The shooting was witnessed by one of the women and the other saw the defendant running from the house with a gun in his hand.  When arrested and questioned by the police, the defendant said that he noticed the victim had a large roll of cash in her pocketbook.  The defendant said he intended to strike the victim in the head with his gun and steal her cash, but the gun went off when he hit her.  The defendant fled the scene and later broke into a residence and stole a car.  He was arrested the next day at his mother’s house.

“I hope that this lengthy sentence brings some peace to the family of Ms. Poore, who lost their loved one in a senseless act of violence stemming from greed,” said Solicitor David Wagner following the imposition of the sentence by the Court. 

(Anderson, SC). Late in the afternoon yesterday, following a three day trial, the Honorable Lawton McIntosh sentenced Mary Nimmons Patrick to 25 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and a $100,000.00 fine, after a jury convicted her for Trafficking Methamphetamine between 200 and 400 grams.   Assistant Solicitor Chelsey Moore appeared on behalf of the State, and the defendant was represented by attorney William Yarborough.

 After several months of surveillance, Detectives with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division executed a search warrant at a home on Willingham Road in Belton. Inside the home, Detectives found the defendant, Mary Nimmons Patrick, and approximately a half pound of methamphetamine. Patrick admitted to Detectives that she divided the methamphetamine into smaller portions to sell.

Solicitor Wagner commented following the verdict:   “Ms. Patrick had two prior methamphetamine convictions on her criminal record. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office has been working hard to stop drug offenders at high levels, particularly drug traffickers. The way they methodically worked the case against Ms. Patrick helped secure this conviction, and has stopped a large source of methamphetamine that was distributed in Anderson County.”

(Anderson, SC). Today, Judge Lawton McIntosh sentenced Demetrius Gambrell on charges of Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery to seventeen years in jail, to be served concurrently on both charges. He will get credit for 370 days he has already served. Representing the State was Senior Assistant Solicitor Kristin Reeves and Bill Hinnant represented Mr. Gambrell. 

On January 18, 2017 the victim, who was friends with Gambrell, was with the defendant on Leon Drive in Anderson County when the defendant opened fire and shot him five times before leaving him in a ditch by the side of the road and taking the victim’s vehicle. The vehicle was discovered outside of Gambrell’s house, where it had been set on fire, and the victim’s wallet was later recovered from the defendant’s residence. 

Then, on January 31, 2017 the defendant entered the Stop-a-Minute on the 28 Bypass in Anderson County, asked the store clerk for cigarettes before pointing a gun at the clerk and demanding money, threatening to shoot the clerk if he refused. He then left in a red car wearing a camo jacket and baseball hat. The incident was recorded on video. 

Gambrell was arrested on February 2, 2017 in Louisiana in the red car wearing the same clothing he wore when he committed the armed robbery. Officers in Louisiana recovered a .380 and ballistics testing matched the bullets recovered from the victim in the attempted murder. 

Following the sentencing Solicitor David R. Wagner said that “violent acts such as these will not be tolerated in our jurisdiction. If you leave the State, we will bring you back, and bring you to justice.”

Walhalla, SC—An Oconee County jury convicted R. L. Webb of Murder and Burglary 1^st degree today in General Sessions Court.  The Honorable R. Lawton McIntosh sentenced Webb to 45 years on each charge to be served concurrently.  The State was represented by Assistant Solicitor Blair Stoudemire, who was assisted by Assistant Solicitor Brian Livingston. 

On September 1, 2016, Webb went to the residence of 50 year old Steven Gregory Brock at 208 Brock Road in Westminster. Webb and Brock had a verbal dispute earlier in the day at Webb’s residence.  When Webb arrived at Brock’s residence, he found the gate to the property was locked.  He unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry by shooting the lock several times. After gaining entry to the property via an alternate route, Webb approached Brock’s home and made forced entry. 

Webb found Brock in a bedroom in the home, along with a female acquaintance. Upon entering the bedroom, Webb fired a handgun at Brock, fatally striking him in the head.  The female acquaintance was able to flee the residence in Webb’s car, as Webb continued to fire at her.  A short time later, she approached a City of Walhalla police officer for assistance.  The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office also received two 911 calls around this time. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Brock Road location where they located Brock’s body and processed the crime scene.  The murder weapon was later located on the premises by a law enforcement K9 officer. 

After the shooting, Webb hid in the woods nearby the home and later fled the State. He was located the next day in Lavonia, Georgia and was apprehended by authorities there. 

At trial, The State presented video and written evidence of Webb’s confession, eyewitness testimony, law enforcement witnesses, medical experts, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division experts in the fields of firearms/ballistics, DNA, and gunshot residue analysis.  

Solicitor David Wagner stated after the trial, “The death of Steven Gregory Brock was a senseless and merciless tragedy. R. L. Webb killed Mr. Brock in the sanctity of his own home, the place where we should all feel most safe.  Today’s sentence ensures that our society will be protected from R. L. Webb for the rest of his life.  I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Walhalla Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for their outstanding work in pursuit of justice.”