Defendants Charged in Melvin Investigation Plead Guilty

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney William N. Nettles stated that Eric Andre Hickmon (34), Brenda Lashawn Ellerby (26), and Sheldon Maurice Bradley (24), all from Bishopville, pled guilty in federal court today in Columbia, South Carolina before United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie.

Hickmon pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. Because of his prior convictions, Hickmon faces a mandatory term of 20 years' imprisonment, a maximum fine of $8,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 10 years, plus a special assessment of $100 on this charge if he complies with the terms of his plea agreement. Hickmon also pled guilty to a Felony Information charging him possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1). As a result of his plea on the weapon charge, Hickmon is facing a term of imprisonment of not less than five years consecutive to the conspiracy charge, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of five years, plus a special assessment of $100.

Bradley also pled guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. Bradley faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment, a maximum fine of $4,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years, plus a special assessment of $100.

Ellerby plead guilty to a Felony Information charging her with the use of a telecommunication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 843(b). As a result of her plea to this charge, Ellerby is facing a maximum term of imprisonment of four years, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of one year in addition to any term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100.

Judge Currie accepted the pleas and will impose sentence after she has reviewed a presentence report which prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Hickmon, Bradley and Ellerby were members of a cocaine and crack trafficking conspiracy that began in 2006 and continued up through May of 2010. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) obtained wire taps of Hickmon and other coconspirator’s phones which revealed that Hickmon and Ellerby were distributing cocaine from their residence in Bishopville, Lee County, South Carolina. Evidence also revealed that Bradley was a member of the conspiracy with Hickmon and others and that Bradley was dealing both cocaine and crack cocaine during the conspiracy. Ellerby plead guilty to using a telephone to facilitate one of Hickmon’s drug transactions.

The case was investigated by agents of the FBI and SLED; Assistant United States Attorneys J.D. Rowell, Mark Moore and Debbie Barbier of the Columbia office are handling the prosecution of this and related cases.