Donald Ray Hurst, Jr., a 35-year-old resident of Sumter, South Carolina, has admitted guilt to charges related to the destruction of an energy facility and possession of child sexual abuse material.
The incident came to light on August 11, 2023, when Duke Energy reported a power outage near Fish Road in Dalzell. Upon investigation by the FBI and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, it was discovered that the regulator bank had been damaged by gunfire, affecting thousands of customers and resulting in over $100,000 in repair costs.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots near the site on August 9. A surveillance camera later captured footage of a white van from which shots were fired at the facility. The vehicle's owner identified Hurst as having access to it during the time of the incident. A search yielded a 9mm shell casing linked to Hurst through forensic analysis.
During a subsequent search of Hurst's residence, authorities found firearms matching evidence from the scene and discovered a hard drive containing illegal images. Hurst confessed to both shooting at the energy facility and possessing child sexual abuse material obtained from the dark web.
Hurst could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge alongside other penalties. His guilty plea was accepted by United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, who will issue sentencing after reviewing reports from probation officers.
This case benefited from leads provided by the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and is part of broader initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Safe Childhood aimed at reducing violent crime and protecting children from exploitation.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI Columbia Field Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and Sumter Police Department. The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Michael Shedd.