Former SCDC Guard, Co-Defendants Plead Guilty in Bribery Scheme

COLUMBIA, S.C. -Five individuals charged in a $550K prison bribery scheme entered guilty pleas in federal court this week.

• Lowanda Atkinson, 52, of Kershaw County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Atkinson served as a corrections officer in SCDC and was assigned to Lee Correctional Institution.
• 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.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Lowanda Atkinson, a 16-year corrections officer with SCDC, accepted more than $550,000 in bribes from inmates Larry Williamson and Jason Brown, along with Jason Brown's mother Mary Ann Hickman Brown, Jason Brown's brother Christopher Hickman, Jason Brown's nephew's mother Adrianna Conyers, and Jason Brown's friend Courtney Briggs.

In exchange for the bribes, Atkinson smuggled contraband, including cell phones, cell phone accessories, tobacco, and controlled substances, into Lee Correctional Institution. The contraband was later sold to other inmates by Brown and Williamson and the proceeds of the contraband sales were split between Brown, Williamson, and Atkinson. Atkinson later spent the proceeds on designer purchases, plastic surgery, and a luxury SUV.

Larry Williamson and Courtney Briggs were charged in a separate Indictment. Briggs was arraigned on July 7, 2026 on count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. Williamson is pending arraignment on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, five counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of use of an interstate facility to facilitate bribery, and one count of drug conspiracy.

"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."

"This person took advantage of the trust given to her and conspired with inmates and their families to flood our prison with deadly contraband," SCDC Director Joel Anderson said. "I'm glad they are all being held accountable for their crimes. Her conduct is not characteristic of our values or of the people who work in our department."

Each of the defendants faces up to 20 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Samantha Usher are prosecuting the case.

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