Thomas Ravenel Resigns
July 24, 2007 | Filed Under The Chaser, Top Shelf News
Written by The Shot
S.C. Treasurer Thomas Ravenel resigned from office earlier today. He resignation comes on the same day as his first federal court appearance for his pending cocaine distribution charge.
Ravenel has been charged with possession with intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but has decided to resign in lieu of the allegations.
Ravenel was suspended from being the State Treasurer over month ago by Gov. Sanford. Columbia attorney Ken Wingate is currently serving as the interim Treasurer. The state legislature voted last month to reconvene and elect a permanent Treasurer if Ravenel formally stepped down or was convicted. Since Ravenel has resigned, the legislature will reconvene in the next week or two to elect a permanent replacement. The early front-runners are Rep. Converse Chellis, Rep. Nathan Ballentine, Sen.Greg Ryberg, and Sen. John Courson.
We will update this website with any details on this election as we receive them…
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I sincerely hope that the legislature doesn’t elect Chellis or Courson. Neither one of them is a true fiscal conservative and will just serve as a Leatherman/Cooper pawn on the Budget and Control Board. Of course, when has the legislature ever actually cared about what happens to the taxpayers of SC…..
you are a real class act.
Thomas WHO???”
“I Do Not Recall Ever Hiring This Thomas Guy To Be A Campaign Chairman.”
“What Did You Say His Name Was Again?”
“NO! I Do Not Know Him.”
Must have exhausted all legal and illegal means to try and make it disappear.
We are a real class act? We aren’t the one’s who betrayed the entire state of SC. Please forgive us if we feel no pity for the idiot. He should be in jail.
“Prosecutors say Ravenel’s resignation doesn’t change their strategy and that they will continue to prepare for their court date”.
“Thomas Ravenel’s surprise resignation”…is a signal he won’t challenge the evidence against him…
“The U.S. Attorney’s office said Tuesday it had no idea Ravenel was going to resign”.
I suspect it all depends on where you are in the food chain, i.e., the cocaine distribution food chain. I do know that the Federal system will reward defendants that roll over on bigger fish. The Federal system has no mandatory minimun jail time for less than 500 grams whereas the State has a mandatory minimum for the same charge.
I doubt that SLED, FBI, and the Feds are going to bring down the State Treasurer for snorting a few lines among friends, they haven’t in the past. There is something much larger at stake.
I suspect that there is still an ongoing “general cocaine investigation” and the way that the charges were brought probably dovetails into the outcome that they are seeking with other targets.
Ravenel and Miller are being charged jointly on the Federal charge for the same quantity, less than 500 grams.
The State charge that Miller is facing is a charge for a prior incident with a much smaller quantity of of cocaine, 14 grams or something near that. It has been reported that Miller is probably cooperating and will recieve some leniency and/or will be rewarded in his “plea deal” on the state charges as well as the Federal charges.
Going forward, the outcome of the sentencing is not going to be determined by whether you are “RICH” or “POOR” or “BLACK” OR “WHITE”, it’s going to be based on the quality and value of the information that you bring to the table. Oh, let’s not forget rehab, resignations, contrition, and all of that other B.S.
Thomas Ravenel should ABSOLUTELY pay for all the damages that he has caused. It’s obvious that he should have resigned in the begining. He was USING, USING the Treasurer’s office as leverage AGAINST the prosecutors, SLED, FBI, US Attorney’s office. Well, it didn’t work and he has caused alot of damage and cost the taxpayer’s alot of money and grief. What do we get in return, I’M DEEPLY SORRY! He needs to take his sorry you what to NEW MEXICO and leave his check book here and pay up.
After he graduated in 1985, Ravenel wandered aimlessly for a while, working alternately as a carpenter, handyman, lawn mower, painter, landscaper. He ran for the state House, his first foray into the politics he’d grown up around, but didn’t win.
It soon turned around for Ravenel when he got his real estate license. He began selling houses and land — “whatever I could,” Ravenel said in 2004. He borrowed money from his father to get an MBA at the University of South Carolina in 1991, then started the Ravenel Development Corp. It was a success, allowing him to quickly repay his father.
During the next decade, Ravenel developed 60 shopping centers in 10 states, beginning with buildings to house Advance Auto Parts stores. He became a business landlord and learned a lot about banking. He started building grocery stores. The only thing his businesses had in common was that they made money.
From 1991-95, he was in Atlanta and returned to South Carolina in ‘95. He started campaigning for the Senate in ‘02. In 2004, he reported his net-worth at $34,000,000.00
Miller allegedly sold 14 grams of cocaine - about 1/2 ounce - to an undercover law enforcement officer at a Charleston apartment complex in January of last year, according to an arrest affidavit.
If convicted of the state charge, Miller faces a prison term of three to 10 years and a fine of $25,000. Under state law, no part of the prison sentence may be suspended and no probation can be given.
The federal mandatory sentencing for first offenders is 500 grams or more for a 5 year mandatory sentence.
Under SC law 44-53-370
between 400-500 grams of cocaine is a mandatory sentence for first time offender of no less then 25 years and up to 30 years.
“Gee… I wonder why SLED bowed out… SLED investigates and brings charges, Ravenel gets 25 years… FBI investigates and brings charges, Ravenel doesn’t meet mandatory sentencing.”
We will probably never know if Ravenel was charged on Federal charges in lieu of State charges soley for the lighter sentencing guidelines. It has been reported that this case is large and complex, maybe that’s why they called FBI, however, so far, only two defendants? Not so large and complex, yet?
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article s Ravenel Resigns : The Shot! @ shotpolitics.com, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
Beaufort attorney to be arraigned today
Published Tue, Aug 7, 2007
By LORI YOUNT
A Beaufort attorney who police say fled the country while rescuers were searching for him in Lowcountry waters is scheduled for an arraignment and extradition proceedings this morning in Buffalo, N.Y., according to authorities.
Michael Timothy Jordan, 45, who runs a real estate law office in Professional Village Circle on Lady’s Island, was arrested Friday while trying to cross the Canadian border back into the United States.
Jordan is charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent for transferring $2.35 million paid by a Hollywood real estate client from a trust account at Wachovia Bank into an account at Beaufort-based Lowcountry National Bank without the client’s knowledge and for his personal use, according to a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office affidavit.
Jordan recently opened a law office in Charleston and is not connected to Michael L.M. Jordan or the McNair Law Firm on Hilton Head Island.
The Sheriff’s Office anticipates Jordan will face at least one more charge when he returns to South Carolina, which police expect to be this week, spokesman Capt. John Clark said.
Jordan is set to appear in Erie County, N.Y., Court at 9:30 this morning, said Buffalo police spokesman Mike DeGeorge, who said he expects the extradition process will begin today.
No one else has been charged in the case, but Clark said police suspect Jordan had help fleeing the country and are investigating further.
Jordan’s wife, Diane Langston-Jordan, reported him missing at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, about six hours after she said she last talked to him on the phone, according to authorities. Jordan told his wife he was taking out a 15-foot john boat to meet family members, according to police.
Langston-Jordan told police their marriage was in trouble, according to a Sheriff’s Office report. When questioned she at first said she didn’t know anything about Jordan’s life insurance but later said he had a $3 million policy, according to the report.
An 18-hour Coast Guard search and rescue operation followed and was called off late Thursday after Jordan’s boat was found but not Jordan.
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident to determine whether it was a false call or a hoax, spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Eric King said.
If the case was a hoax, King said the government will try to recoup the $64,800 it spent on the rescue mission through a civil suit.
Needs more time? What a farce! If you pay lawyers enough money they will do anything. The judicial process is in a sad state of affairs. Money and drugs are driving the system. Let’s all celebrate.
I went on a couple of dates with Thomas back in 1989. He was so drunk on the 2nd and LAST date we had, that he stumbled out of the restaurant in Mt. Pleasant. I saw my life flash before my eyes when he insisted on driving-back over the bridge- the old bridge, mind you, into Charleston. I am sure a guardian angel got us safely over it.
I managed to call a cab from his house and took it all the way home to Columbia. He was so disgusting. I cannot and won’t even try to tell the things he pulled on me, just short of rape, thank God he was too drunk to really hurt me.
I saw his mom shortly after that and she asked me if I would be seeing him again, and I said respectfully, “No, ma-am”. She didn’t have a bit of a problem with that!
God help us if we allow that kind of mind come into our government. And may God help you, Thomas Ravenel. The only way out is through.
Mrs. Marti Comyns of Columbia, SC
Prosecutors said taxpayers paid for the sisters’ spending sprees, which included four homes in Edisto Beach, 10 luxury cars, boats, and expensive jewelry from New York and Alaska vacations.
C & D co-owner Charlene Corley, 46, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering and pleaded guilty to both Thursday. A sentencing date has not been set.
She was accused of bilking taxpayers by inflating shipping costs for Defense Department materials that cost a few dollars.
In one example, C & D collected $998,798 to ship two 19-cent bolt washers, court documents show.
Corley’s twin sister, Darlene Wooten, shot herself Oct. 2 after Defense Department investigators confronted her with evidence of a nine-year scheme that included billing the Pentagon for $71.6 million in shipping costs.
Charleston Post & Courier - Around the Globe Wine Tasting: Romania. Wine expert Pasquale Pellicoro will host a wine tasting featuring wines from Romania. The tasting will include at least four wines accompanied by the country’s traditional hors d’oeuvres. $10 per person. 5:30-7
Source: http://www.charleston.net
Wine: French revision
Worldnews.com - Promotion not protection will save France’s ailing industry The storming of the Bastille 218 years ago this week is just one of the many revolts that pepper France’s often heated history . Revolutionary spirit is still strong - France’s president
You have a “DeJay” and a “State Treasurer/Real Estate developer” and a “Wine Distributor”. Now, all the Feds have to do is find their “Crooked Attorney”. Oh, and lets not forget the “Money Launderer”. All you have to do is find the biggest jackazz Attorney and that will be the ONE!
If Pasquale Pellicoro is the “bigger fish” and he is an “Italian Citizen” with very little ties to the US and facing 20 years and a $1,000,000 fine. Then the question becomes: Why would he stay in this country?
Alfredo Temelini, owner of “Il Cortile del Re” on King Street says he bought wine from Pellicoro on numerous occasions, but hadn’t seen or heard from him in at least six months.
8/28/2007
Repeat Huger Drug Offender Back Behind Bars
Nicole Johnson, Live 5 News
A previously convicted drug kingpen is behind bars again.
Again, it’s on a slew of federal drug charges.
Henry Bennett was arrested back in the early 1990’s on federal drug distrbution charges in Huger.
Former US Attorney Bart Daniel prosecuted the case about 15 years ago, and remembers it well.
“I think that surprised everyone for sure, to have large-scale drug dealing going on in the late 1980’s through early 1991 in such a small rural area,” Daniel says.
Bennett was sentenced to more than 15 years, but was released.
Now the one time drug kingpen is behind bars again indicted on several counts of intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 5 grams of crack.
Bennett was one of six men charged in the multi-count indictment. All pleaded not guilty in front of a US magistrate judge here at the Federal Courthouse on Monday.
Drug enforcement agents and several local law agencies helped put the men behind bars last week.
“The charges are very serious charges, involving distributing cocaine, and crack cocaine,” Daniel says.
Daniel says the man he helped put in prison years ago could face a minimum mandatory sentence between 20 years to life without parole.
“You never know if someone’s going to be a repeat offender,” he says. “You would think after that length he was sentenced, someone wouldn’t be back out and arrested, but it happens.”
According to Lloyd, the ten-page agreement contains a stipulation that the amount of cocaine attributable to Mr. Ravenel is less than 100 grams.
WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP! The indictment says less than 500 grams.
The rules are, there are no rules!
Give him the lie detector test.
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