COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina today commemorates National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, as part of the 11th annual National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and affirms its continued commitment to work with federal, state, and local partners in combatting human trafficking in all its forms.
“Human trafficking is nothing short of modern-day slavery. It strips away the most fundamental promises of our country - life, liberty, and the right to be free," said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “Traffickers prey upon the vulnerable and push them into forced labor or commercial sex. That is why the fight against human trafficking is one of this office’s top priorities, and we must do everything in our power to bring swift prosecution against traffickers and to seek justice for survivors. We will work with our federal, state, and local partners to relentlessly pursue, prosecute, and punish those who exploit the most vulnerable in our society."
Along with the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is committed to continuing its victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to detecting hidden human trafficking crimes, holding perpetrators accountable, and restoring the lives of survivors, all while strengthening strategic anti-trafficking partnerships.
Federal agencies in the District of South Carolina, in conjunction with state and local partners, have investigated hundreds of leads linked to sex and labor trafficking in the last year alone. These investigations have resulted in numerous federal and state human trafficking prosecutions. Some of the major human trafficking cases brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the last year include the following:
* United States v. Elizabeth Balcazar, Enrique Balcazar, and Balcazar Nature Harvesting, LLC. Criminal No. 3:21-cr-834-JMC. According to the indictment, on December 7, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Columbia indicted the defendants on five counts related to forced and exploitative labor, including labor trafficking, conspiracy to commit labor trafficking, the confiscation of passports in connection with labor trafficking, and fraud in foreign labor contracting. The indictment describes the manner and means by which the defendants are alleged to have exploited foreign national seasonal laborers in South Carolina farms, including by force and threats of force, serious harm and threats of serious harm, by forcing laborers to work excessive hours, by underpaying workers, by threatening deportation, and through the use of a firearm. The defendants remain detained pending the outcome of the case.
* United States v. Earl Dawson Caldwell IV, Cedrick Ventiego Riley, and Jessica Michelle Mills. Criminal No. 9:21-cr-317-DCN. According to the indictment, on October 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston charged the defendants in a multi-count superseding indictment alleging conspiracy to sex traffic minors, production of child pornography, multiple counts of sex trafficking of a minor, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The defendants remain detained pending the outcome of the case.
* United States v. Hart William Grow, Theodore Woolings Bye III, Sanadin Mohamed Elrayes, and Charles Joseph Spillane. Criminal No. 4:21-cr-173-SAL. According to the indictment, in July 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Florence charged the defendants in a 13-count superseding indictment alleging conspiracy to sex traffic minors, sex trafficking of minors, conspiracy to coerce a minor and to produce child pornography, four counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, four counts of production of child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography. The defendants have all plead guilty to related charges, including human trafficking, coercion of a minor, and transfer of obscene materials.
* United States v. Brian Lydell Robinson, a/k/a “Mr. Marshal," a/k/a “Trevor." Criminal No. 2:21-cr-211-RMG. According to the indictment, in April 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston charged Robinson in a multi-count indictment alleging human trafficking, impersonating an officer of the United States, extortion, and Hobbs Act extortion. The defendant remains detained pending the outcome of the case.
* United States v. Gary Garland, Shannon Garland, Johnnie Wells, Michael Skelton, Duwone Allen, Glen Whitcomb, Kianna Dailey, and John Towery. Criminal No. 8:20-CR-452-DCC. According to the indictment, in April 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Greenville charged the defendants in a multi-count superseding indictment alleging conspiracy to sex traffic minors, conspiracy to produce child pornography, sex trafficking of a minor, and production of child pornography. All defendants have plead guilty to related charges involving conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.
* United States v. Donnell Salethian Woodard a/k/a “Tank" and India Tykeyah-Najee Cuyler a/k/a “Lady Tank." Criminal No. 3:18-cr-308-JMC. In February 2021, following a conviction of conspiracy to sex traffic minors and benefiting from sex trafficking of minors, Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia sentenced Woodard to 25 years in federal prison. In March 2021, following a conviction of using a facility of interstate commerce to entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity, Judge Childs sentenced Cuyler to more than 15 years in federal prison. Both sentences will be followed by 15 years of court-ordered supervision and the defendants will be required to register as a sex offenders.
* United States v. Brian Leroy Watson and Ryan Darian Grover. Criminal No. 3:20-cr-492-JMC. According to the indictment, in January 2021, Grover was arrested as the second defendant in a 13-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Columbia that charged human trafficking conspiracy, human trafficking and attempted human trafficking of involving both a minor and adult victims, heroin and fentanyl distribution, and the operation of a drug-involved dwelling. The defendants remain detained pending the outcome of the case.
In cases where a defendant has not pled guilty or has not otherwise been convicted, the charges in the indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
During this, the 11th annual National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina reaffirms its commitment to combatting the heinous crime of human trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable, and seeking justice for survivors. To report a tip or ask for help, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
