7 Charged in $550K SCDC Bribery Scheme

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a nine-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney's Office, charging two people in a $550,000 bribery scheme involving an SCDC corrections officer and two SCDC inmates and their family members and acquaintances. Five others have waived indictment and agreed to plead guilty to their roles in the in the scheme.

The following individuals were charged in the Indictment:

• Courtney Briggs, 39, of Sumter County, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
• Larry Williamson, 51, a former inmate incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, five counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of using an interstate facility to facilitate bribery, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of marijuana.

The following individuals were charged by Information and have agreed to plead guilty:

• Lowanda Atkinson, 52, of Kershaw County, has agreed to plead 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, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
• Adriana Conyers, 37, of Sumter County, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
• Christopher Hickman, 46, of Richland County, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
• Mary Ann Hickman-Brown, 64, of Clarendon County, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

According to court documents, Lowanda Atkinson worked as a corrections officer at SCDC from 2007 until 2023. At the time of her resignation, she held the rank of Corporal and was assigned to the property room at Lee Correctional Institution (Lee), where she was entrusted to maintain inmate property, search the property for contraband, and enforce contraband laws and policy.

Atkinson is alleged to have accepted more than $550,000 in bribes from inmates Jason Brown and Williamson, and Jason Brown's family and associates in exchange for smuggling contraband. Atkinson allegedly smuggled phones, phone accessories, tobacco, and marijuana into Lee so that Jason Brown and Williamson could sell and distribute the contraband to other inmates. Atkinson is alleged to have received a portion of the cash proceeds from the contraband sales and bribes through Cash App, Zelle, and Apple Cash. It is alleged that Atkinson spent the money on a luxury SUV, designer purchases, and thousands of dollars in cosmetic procedures.

Each of the defendants face up to 20 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

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.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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