SCDC Prisoners
SCDC Drops Arrests Warrants for 11 Inmates
By James Seidel, CC News Network
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) on Friday released arrest warrants for 11 current inmates facing new criminal charges in separate cases from November and December 2024.
Among the warrants SCDC dropped, James Wright III, 42, was charged with murder in connection with the June 2023 beating death of his cellmate, James Harrison Pennington, at Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia. Pennington was fatally beaten in his cell, authorities said.
Roger Glenn Denver Rowland Jr., 35, faces charges of attempted murder, prisoner carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon during a violent crime after allegedly slitting a fellow inmate’s throat with a homemade knife at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville, Dorchester County.
Jeremiah Charles Owings, 42, was charged with robbery, stalking and five counts of violating a restraining order. The arrest warrant alleges that Owings, incarcerated at Kershaw Correctional Institution in Kershaw, Lancaster County, attempted to incite individuals outside the prison to assault and rob a community member. He is also accused of ordering the stalking of a woman, causing her to fear for her life and the safety of her children, and using social media to contact persons with restraining orders against him.
Demario Patrico Nesbit, 41, was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of contraband by a prisoner after officers discovered a package containing between 100 and 200 grams of methamphetamine during a search following visitation at Evans Correctional Institution in Bennettsville, Marlboro County.
Patrick Leshawn Brice, 51, faces charges of possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, possession of contraband by a prisoner and criminal conspiracy. The charges stem from Suboxone strips sent to him, concealed as legal mail, at MacDougall Correctional Institute in Ridgeville.
Joseph Calvin Creech, 53, was charged with second-degree assault and battery after allegedly heating a cup of water in a microwave for five minutes and then throwing it in a correctional officer’s face at Broad River Correctional Institute, permanently disfiguring her. He’s serving a 40-year sentence for murder and has been reprimanded 7 times in prison for breaking rules.
At SCDC’s McCormick Correctional Institution in McCormick, 32‑year‑old Kyle David Hitchcock faces a second-degree assault and battery charge for allegedly striking a correctional officer in the face multiple times, causing her to fall down a flight of stairs. He’s serving 15 years for voluntary manslaughter and has been reprimanded 5 times for everything from possession of a weapon, drug possession, striking a fellow inmate to assault & battery with an intent to kill.
Sean Jarrett Tomsha, 31, was charged with second-degree assault and battery after allegedly pulling his cellmate off the top bunk at Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia, causing the victim to land on a cement floor. Authorities said Tomsha continued the assault by punching the unconscious inmate.
Duwayne A. Fordham, 48, faces charges for throwing bodily fluids on a correctional officer at Tyger River Correctional Institution in Enoree, Spartanburg County, after reportedly hurling urine at an officer.
At McCormick Correctional Institution, James R. McCray, 31, was charged with throwing bodily fluids on a correctional officer after allegedly throwing feces at her.
Zion Rashaun Dukes, 23, was charged with throwing bodily fluids on a correctional officer at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville after reportedly throwing feces at an officer.
The SCDC noted that when an inmate is charged with a crime, they must be served a warrant and provided a bond hearing, which the SCDC schedules on a monthly basis. These criminal charges, processed in circuit court, are separate from disciplinary actions that inmates might face while incarcerated.
SCDC also reminded the public that after an arrest the burden of proof is on the state to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Facilities implicated in the warrants include several state prisons:
• Broad River Correctional Institute – a close‑security facility in Columbia for men, designed to house violent offenders and inmates with behavioral issues.
• Evans Correctional Institution – a medium‑security prison in Bennettsville.
• Kershaw Correctional Institution – a medium‑security facility in Kershaw.
• Kirkland Correctional Institution – a mixed‑security facility in Columbia, and alleged home to Alex Murdaugh.
• Lee Correctional Institution – the main high‑security prison in Bishopville.
• Lieber and MacDougall Correctional Institutes – maximum‑security facilities in Ridgeville.
• McCormick Correctional Institution – located in McCormick.
• Tyger River Correctional Institution – a medium‑security facility in Enoree.
The SCDC emphasized that the released warrants represent criminal charges for incidents dating from November and December 2024 and are being processed in circuit court, separate from any internal disciplinary proceedings.
Former SCDC Captain Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme
A former South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) captain has pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud conspiracy for her role in a multi-year bribery scheme that funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars into her personal accounts in exchange for smuggling contraband into a state prison.
Christine Mary Livingston, 47, of Gaston, used her rank and position as a captain at Broad River Correctional Institute (BRCI) to accept bribes from inmates and their family members between 2018 and 2021, according to evidence presented in court.
The investigation revealed that Livingston operated at least 14 peer-to-peer payment accounts on platforms like Cash App, using false names linked to her legitimate bank accounts. In total, one of her Cash App accounts received at least $279,000 in bribes, with more than $225,000 transferred to her personal accounts. Federal prosecutors say she used the funds for personal enrichment, including shopping, ATM withdrawals, and cryptocurrency purchases.
As part of the scheme, Livingston purchased at least 173 cell phones from Amazon, along with 130 SIM cards, phone accessories, headphones, screen protectors, and chargers—all smuggled into BRCI to keep inmates connected to the outside world.
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