A former South Carolina prison guard, along with four co-defendants, pleaded guilty in federal court to a $550,000 bribery scheme.
At the center of the crime is Lowanda Atkinson, 52, from Kershaw. For 16 years she worked as a corrections officer and accepted bribes from Lee Correctional inmates and family members. Those inmates, Larry Williamson and Jason Brown, received contraband in exchange for the money. That contraband, including cellphones, tobacco products and controlled substances, was later sold to other inmates.
The profits were split between Atkinson, Williamson, and Brown. Prosecutors found Atkinson used the money she made to buy a luxury car, plastic surgery, and designer clothes.
Alongside Atkinson and Brown, three of Brown's family members were also charged in connection with the crime. The U.S. District Attorney's Office of South Carolina reports Williamson was charged in a separate indictment.
Each of the defendants faces up to 20 years in prison.
The individual pleas are listed below:
- Lowanda Atkinson, 52, of Kershaw County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Jason Brown, 43, an SCDC inmate, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Adriana Conyers, 37, of Sumter County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Christopher Hickman, 46, of Richland County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Mary Ann Hickman-Brown, 64, of Clarendon County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with SCDC to root out corruption within our correctional system, whether it originates inside the walls or through networks that support it from the outside,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Atkinson’s scheme is an example of law enforcement corruption, and we will not tolerate that in South Carolina.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General.
