Federal Grand Jury Indictments

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following:

Unregistered Sex Offender Indicted
Shana Marie Lawson, age 36, of Lancaster, South
Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with failure to register as a sex offender, a violation
of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2250(a).  The maximum penalty Lawson could receive is
10 years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Marshals
Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Columbia
office for prosecution. 

Columbia Man Indicted For Defrauding The Department Of Veterans Affairs
Bobby Joe Haynes, age 60, of Columbia, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with converting over $1,000.00 belonging to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs from March 2011 to October 2013, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.  The maximum penalty Bobby Joe Haynes could receive is 10 years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Fort Lawn Man Indicted for Defrauding the Social Security Administration
Gerald W. Costner, age 70, of Fort Lawn, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count Indictment with converting over $1,000.00 belonging to the Social Security Administration from June 1992 to January 2014, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.  The maximum penalty Gerald W. Costner could receive is 10 years imprisonment.  The case was investigated by agents of the United States Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office for prosecution. The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.