PEE DEE RESIDENTS INDICTED FOR COUNTERFEITING

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Phillip Lee Laney, age 27, of Mt. Croghan, South Carolina, David Lee Williams, age 35, of Hartsville, South Carolina, Shane Lee Kearns, age 33, of Jefferson, South Carolina, and Lance Larenta Outen, age 19, of Hartsville, South Carolina, were charged in a three-count Indictment with the manufacture, distribution, and possession of counterfeit money, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 471, 472, and 473.

The maximum penalty each defendant could receive is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment of 20 years.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.