Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins announced that Otis J. Goodwin, Jr., 32, of Gadsden, South Carolina, pled guilty to one count of mail fraud. The Indictment charged that from about June 2006 through November 2007, Goodwin and his co-defendant Wendy Constance Evans, 45, of Columbia, opened checking accounts at a credit union using stolen identification information, including names and social security numbers. The pair allegedly opened the accounts to receive checks, which they intended to pass in the community. Evans pled guilty in December of 2008 to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Evans and Goodwin face 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, and a mandatory term of two years for each count of aggravated identity theft..

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah B. Barbier of the Columbia office for prosecution.

EASLEY MAN INDICTED IN ONGOING CFS FRAUD INVESTIGATION

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that Jeffery Scott McAbee, age 39, of Easley, was charged in a federal indictment with mail fraud and misprison of a felony.

McAbee is the brother in-law of Daryl Batts, who was sentenced last December to 121 months in federal prison for a $10 million dollar investment fraud scheme he operated through his Easley-based business Comprehensive Financial Solutions (CFS), a/k/a College Funding Solutions. Authorities allege that McAbee worked with Batts to solicit investments into CFS from 2004 to 2008, despite knowing that Batts and CFS were engaged in fraud during the time.

The maximum penalty McAbee could receive for each of six mail fraud counts is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment for 20 years, and the maximum penalty for misprison of a felony is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment of three years.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville 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.

Hartsville Tax Preparer Indicted

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Jacqueline E. Gibson, age 46, of Hartsville, was charged with mail fraud. Federal agents allege that Gibson, owner of Jackie Tax Service in Hartsville, had her clients' tax refund checks mailed to her rather than her clients, and that she kept the refunds for herself.

The maximum penalty Gibson 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 OIG Tax Administration and the United States Postal 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.