Eight individuals, including three North Charleston City Council members, have been charged in federal court following a public corruption investigation. The charges involve bribery, kickbacks, extortion, and money laundering schemes.
Four of the accused have agreed to plead guilty. They include Jerome Sydney Heyward and Sandino Savalas Moses, both city council members; Donavan Laval Moten, founder of Core4Success Foundation; and Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks. A federal grand jury has indicted four others: Mike A. Brown, another city council member; Hason Tatorian Fields from Goose Creek; Rose Emily Lorenzo from North Carolina; and Michelle Stent-Hilton from North Charleston.
Heyward is implicated in three schemes using his council position for personal gain through bribes and kickbacks. He allegedly extorted a businessman for payments in exchange for official actions and conspired with others to solicit bribes related to rezoning applications. He also participated in embezzling funds by soliciting kickbacks from non-profits receiving city grants.
Mike A. Brown faces charges of conspiring with Heyward and Hicks for bribery linked to rezoning applications. Hicks is charged with conspiracy to pay bribes involving multiple council members for their influence on rezoning matters.
Fields is accused of conspiring with Hicks to bribe Moses, who knew about the attempts but concealed them by returning the money. Moses has agreed to plead guilty to misprision of a felony.
Moten's charges include conspiracy and money laundering involving funds his nonprofit received from the city. Stent-Hilton faces similar charges related to laundering funds intended as kickbacks for Heyward through Lorenzo.
Lorenzo is charged with conspiracy and money laundering as an intermediary transferring laundered funds back to Heyward.
Heyward, Moten, Hicks, and Moses are scheduled to plead guilty before Judge Richard M. Gergel on February 28th.
Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews stated that elected officials must uphold their oath of office as a "sacred promise" and described the allegations as a betrayal of public trust. Steve Jensen of the FBI emphasized zero tolerance for public corruption while SLED Chief Mark Keel reiterated accountability regardless of position.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Columbia Field Office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Whit Sowards.
Charges remain accusations until proven beyond reasonable doubt in court.