Notable Cases

Cornelius Jones

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 11/4/2024
COUNTY: Florence
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment
DISPOSITION: Sentenced to 18 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 ½ years of probation and payment of $15,983.04 in restitution

Cornelius Jones pled guilty to one count of Presenting False Claims for Payment. Jones was involved in a prolonged scheme where he targeted elderly drivers in business parking lots. He intentionally drove or walked into the back of the victims’ cars while they were backing out of parking spaces. Jones then pretended to be injured to receive an undeserved insurance payout or to directly extort cash from the victims. Between 2020 and 2022, Jones caused fifteen incidents, collecting $14,210 in fraudulent payments and causing an additional $1,773 damage to the victims’ cars. 

On November 4, 2024, Jones pled guilty to one count of Presenting False Claims for Payment. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 ½ years of probation and payment of $15,983.04 in restitution.

Marcus Blair

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 6/28/2024
COUNTY: Florence
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment; Financial Identity Fraud; Obtaining Property by False Pretenses
DISPOSITION: Sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and payment of $139,126.98 in restitution 

Marcus Blair has a record prior to convictions and was serving an active sentence in the Department of Corrections when he became of interest to the investigation team.   During the investigation it was discovered that he was using a contraband cell phone to commit new frauds from his cell in prison.

Upon his release from prison, he continued his fraudulent activities and active surveillance by SLED Agents and Florence County Deputies resulted in a search warrant of his residence.  Hundreds of documents, fake checks, false ID cards, cell phone records, computers and emails were seized.  After arrest, it was confirmed that Blair had attempted to fraudulently obtain a total of $574,531 and was successful in collecting $139,126.98 in money and goods.  One of Blair’s most prolific insurance fraud schemes involved using addresses and photographs from the internet to make false property damage claims for homes he did not own, many of which were located in other states.

On June 28^th, 2024, Blair pled guilty to seven indictments: two counts of Presenting a False Claim for Payment over $10,000, one count of Financial Identity Fraud, one count of Presenting False Claims for Payment less than $2,000, one count of Presenting False Claims for Payment more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, and two counts of Obtaining Goods Under False Pretenses over $10,000.  The Judge sentenced him to ten years of incarceration, all sentences to run concurrently.  He is also required to pay restitution of $139,126.98 to the victims whom he successfully defrauded.

Donavan Brantley

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 5/6/2024
COUNTY: Horry 
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment
DISPOSITION: Probation and payment of $22,119.59 in restitution 

Donavan Brantley pled guilty to one count of Presenting False Claims for Payment greater than $10,000. Brantley repeatedly made multiple claims for the same damage to his vehicle without ever conducting repairs.  He continued this conduct even after he no longer owned or possessed the vehicle.  He was sentenced as a youthful offender to probation and payment of $22,119.59 in restitution. 

Tyburious Heyward

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 4/23/2024
COUNTY: Sumter
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment; Obtaining Property by False Pretenses
DISPOSITION: 8 years imprisonment to be followed by an additional 10 years which is suspended upon probation and payment of more than $436,000 in restitution

Heyward recruited dozens of individuals to participate as drivers and passengers in intentional automobile collisions to collect insurance payouts for nonexistent injuries from multiple insurance companies.  Heyward directed his co-conspirators to seek unnecessary medical treatment for specific, subjective injuries and symptoms.  Heyward also provided and directed the use of false medical, residency, identity, and lost wages documents throughout the claims processes.  In addition to providing co-conspirators with scripts of what to say during medical visits and when dealing with insurance company representatives, Heyward would often impersonate other individuals. 

These staged accidents took place in various parts of South Carolina including Florence, Charleston, Lexington, Columbia, and Sumter.  Regardless of where the collisions occurred, the insurance claim activity primarily took place in Sumter County.  Often these staged accidents occurred with both drivers of two vehicles being involved in the scheme to intentionally collide with each other.  However, in some incidents one driver who was involved in the conspiracy would intentionally collide with an unsuspecting driver’s vehicle.  Fortunately, no innocent drivers or passengers in this case were seriously injured. 

Heyward previously served time in prison for similar conduct.  In fact, while incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Heyward used a contraband cellphone to recruit others to conduct staged accidents at his direction in this recent case.  While still in prison, he also used a contraband cellphone to impersonate multiple participants in at least one staged accident.  After being released from prison in the Spring of 2021, Heyward began to take more active roles in staged accidents and would often be present at the scene even if he was not in either vehicle at the time of the collision.  After being arrested in this case, Heyward even made a phone call, on a recorded line, from the detention center to impersonate another individual as part of an injury claim from a staged accident.

On April 23, 2024, Heyward pled guilty to three counts of Presenting False Claims for Payment valued at $10,000 or more and two counts of Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses valued at $10,000 or more in the Sumter County Court of General Sessions.  He was sentenced to 8 years in prison to be followed by an additional 10 years which is suspended upon the service of probation and payment of approximately $436,000.00 in restitution.  

Quanshae Abram & Quautell McDaniel-Abrams

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 4/9/2024 & 5/16/2024
COUNTY: Sumter
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment
DISPOSITION: 5 years of probation and payment of $13,289.75 in restitution; 3 years of probation and payment of $5902.75 in restitution 

Quanshae Abram pled guilty to two counts of Presenting a False Claim for Payment valued between $2,000 and $10,000, as well as one count of Presenting a False Claim for Payment greater than $10,000.  Quautell McDaniel-Abrams pled guilty to one count of Presenting False Claim for Payment greater than $2,000 but less than $10,000.

These convictions mark the conclusion of an investigation that commenced in September of 2022 when the Sumter police department responded to a disturbance at Palmetto Cash Express involving two women. During the altercation, Abram disclosed that the dispute arose from a disagreement over the division of proceeds from a fraudulent insurance claim The SLED investigation revealed three instances where Abram either falsely claimed involvement in accidents or exaggerated damages to secure undeserved payments. In August of 2022, Abram submitted medical bills for payment in an attempt to gain undeserved economic benefits.  In October of the same year, Abram submitted medical bills on behalf of her child for injuries the child did not sustain. In fact, Abram’s child was not in the vehicle at all.  Quautell McDaniel-Abrams claimed that she was involved in one of these traffic accidents in Sumter County even though she was not in the car at the time.  Abram was sentenced to five years probation and was ordered to pay $13,289.75 in restitution. Quautell McDaniel-Abrams was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $5,902.75 in restitution.

Hemang Bhavsar & Hardwick Patel d/b/a Priku LLC

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 2/13/2024

COUNTY: Aiken

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment

DISPOSITION: $1,000 criminal fine; $5,000 civil fine

Hemang Bhavsar and Hardwick Patel both pled guilty to one count of Presenting a False Claim for Payment valued at $2,000 or less.

While operating a convenience store doing business as Priku LLC, Bhavsar and Patel made a claim for stolen and damaged property.  Bhavsar and Patel conspired together to forge an invoice for a Point of Sale machine and claimed 40 cartons of cigarettes were stolen.  However, the SLED investigation determined no cartons of cigarettes were stolen.  Bhavsar and Patel were each ordered to pay $6,000 in fines and civil penalties.

Kristan Poston

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 1/22/2024

COUNTY: Lexington

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Forgery

DISPOSITION: 6 months of probation and payment of $10,207.81 in restitution

Kristan Poston pled guilty to one count of Forgery. Poston made two claims for stolen and damaged property and submitted forged police reports as verification.  She attempted to fraudulently obtain over $40,000 and was successful in collecting $10,207.81.  She was sentenced to six months of probation and ordered to pay $10,207.81 in restitution.

Richard Coker

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 10/27/2023

COUNTY: Berkeley

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Making False Statement or Misrepresentation

DISPOSITION: Sentenced to time-served after payment of $28,708 in restitution

Richard Coker pled guilty to one count of False Statement or Misrepresentation valued at $1,000 or more.  Coker was insured as a landscaping business even though he also operated a tree cutting service.  Because of this misrepresentation, he avoided paying almost $30,000 of insurance premiums. He was sentenced to time served after paying $28,708 in restitution to the insurance company.

Tariq Ramkalup & Armani Ellison

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 7/25/2023

COUNTY: Berkeley

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment

DISPOSITION: $1,000 criminal fine; $2,000 civil fine; relinquish law enforcement certification

Tariq Ramkalup and Armani Ellison both pled guilty to one count of Presenting a False Claim for Payment valued at $2,000 or less.

While Ellison was driving Ramkalup’s vehicle, he was involved in a single-vehicle collision. Ellison did not report the accident to law enforcement.  Ellison and Ramkalup then conspired together to make a claim to Ellison’s insurance company stating while Ramkalup was driving behind Ellison, he suddenly stopped in the roadway causing Ramkalup to swerve to prevent a collision.  Ramkalup claimed to have driven into a ditch, which extensive damage to his vehicle.  After discovering Ellison’s insurance company was not liable for the damage to Ramkalup’s vehicle, Ramkalup made a claim to his insurance company.  Ramkalup was successful in collecting $19,783.25 from his insurance company.  The two denied knowing each other but the SLED investigation determined the two were roommates and co-workers at the North Charleston Police Department.  Ramkalup and Ellison voluntarily executed agreements to relinquish their law enforcement certifications.  

David Fowler

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 6/5/2023
COUNTY: Spartanburg
CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Forgery; Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent
DISPOSITION: 2 years of probation after payment of $49,000 in restitution 

David Fowler pled guilty to one count of forgery and one count of Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent greater than $10,000.  In his capacity as an insurance agent, Fowler fraudulently accepted $49,000 for fictitious insurance policies.  As part of his plea, Fowler reimbursed the customers in the full amount and was sentenced to ten years suspended to two years of probation.

Shawn Conyers

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 5/9/2023

COUNTY: Florence

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment

DISPOSITION: Sentenced to 4 years imprisonment, suspended, after the service of 6 months in SCDC, to probation for 5 years, probation can terminate upon the payment of $80,000 in restitution

 
Shawn Conyers pled guilty to three counts of Presenting False Claims for Payment valued at $10,000 or more.  He provided multiple forged medical bills for treatments he did not receive from staged accidents.

Joshua Poole

DATE OF DISPOSITION: 9/12/2022

COUNTY: Florence

CHARGED OFFENSE(S): Presenting False Claims for Payment; Financial Identity Fraud

DISPOSITION: Sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, suspended to 4 years of probation; 5 years, suspended to 4 years of probation and payment of $7,522.80 in restitution

Joshua Poole pled guilty to one count of Presenting a False Claim for Payment valued between $2,000 and $10,000, as well as one count of Financial Identity Fraud.  Poole made multiple claims often impersonating other individuals or falsely claiming involvement in accidents that occasionally had not even occurred.  He was sentenced to seven years suspended to four years of probation and five years suspended to four years of probation.  He was also ordered to pay $7,522.80 in restitution.