Crime & Safety News

Rock Hill, South Carolina - The final chapter in a major federal drug investigation centered in York County has ended with a lengthy prison sentence for one of the conspiracy’s key participants. Jarman Lamar White, 39, of Rock Hill, has been ordered to spend 15 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, along with cocaine and methamphetamine. Federal investigators say White played a significant role in a drug network tied to the Darryl Hemphill organization. According to evidence gathered during the investigation, White distributed narcotics supplied by members...

Richland County, South Carolina - A Richland County man will spend the next decade in federal prison after authorities determined he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition despite a history of felony convictions. Jacob Lloyd Lower, 31, received a 10-year federal sentence after investigators uncovered the circumstances surrounding a chaotic incident that unfolded in April 2022. According to evidence presented in court, officers with the Irmo Police Department were dispatched on April 25 of that year after reports of a single-vehicle crash. While officers were en route, new information emerged suggesting the driver had begun attacking a passerby who had stopped...

Greer, South Carolina - A federal fraud scheme that siphoned more than $1.8 million from pandemic relief programs has resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for a Greer man who authorities say orchestrated the operation. Jonathan Wade Sumter, 54, of Greer, has been sentenced to 80 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering connected to a plan that targeted two key federal relief initiatives created during the COVID-19 crisis. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis imposed the sentence, which will also include three years of supervised release once Sumter completes his time behind...

Union, South Carolina - A man from Union County will spend more than a decade behind bars after a federal judge handed down a sentence tied to the distribution of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that continues to fuel overdose deaths across communities. Dezmond Tobias Tucker, 31, of Union, was sentenced to 131 months in federal prison after investigators determined he had been involved in selling fentanyl pills. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin and will be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision once Tucker completes his prison term. Because the case was...

Helena-West Helena, Arkansas - A man with a prior federal conviction and an extensive criminal history will spend more than five years in federal prison after authorities discovered he was transporting cocaine through Arkansas. Federal officials announced that Angel Lazala-Soto, 60, of Bani in the Dominican Republic but residing in New York City, was sentenced after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. According to federal prosecutors, the punishment was imposed on Thursday, March 5, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian...

Little Rock, Arkansas - A Lamar man with a long criminal history will spend more than 15 years in federal prison after authorities uncovered methamphetamine distribution activity, a firearm, and evidence of a dangerous attempt to flee law enforcement. Kelly Bruce Duncan Jr., 43, who has previous felony drug convictions, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Tuesday, February 10, 2026, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. A federal grand jury had indicted...

Little Rock, Arkansas - A North Little Rock man with a lengthy criminal history will spend the next 15 years in federal prison after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm while on supervised release. Federal officials say the case underscores the serious penalties faced by repeat offenders who continue to engage in drug and firearm violations. Morris Anthony Campbell, 43, of North Little Rock, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Tuesday,...

Arkansas - A years-long theft scheme at a small Arkansas business has ended with a decade-long prison sentence after investigators determined that nearly a quarter of a million dollars in lottery tickets were stolen by an employee trusted to handle daily operations. Billie Rainwater, 47, was sentenced to 120 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, followed by 120 months of suspended imposition of sentence, also known as supervised probation. The sentence came after Rainwater accepted a negotiated plea deal tied to the theft of almost $250,000 worth of lottery tickets from her workplace over several years. Investigation uncovered a steady pattern...

Little Rock, Arkansas - A Fordyce man with a long criminal history tied to narcotics will spend the next decade behind bars after being sentenced in federal court for distributing large quantities of illegal drugs. Federal prosecutors said the case reflects months of coordinated investigation and a continued push to disrupt drug activity in South Arkansas communities. Eric Matlock, 42, of Fordyce, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas,...

Hensley, Arkansas - A 62-year-old Arkansas woman will spend 20 years in federal prison after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, a case that stemmed from a fatal overdose at a Saline County home. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and imposed today by James M. Moody Jr.. Charges, Sentencing, and No Parole The defendant, April Adams of Hensley, was originally indicted alongside her daughter, Amber Church, after a federal grand jury returned charges on April 2, 2024. Both women were accused of conspiracy...