24 SC Irish Travelers plead guilty to criminal conspiracy

Twenty-four Irish Travelers from the North Augusta area pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy charges Tuesday at the U.S. courthouse in Columbia.

Tuesday’s guilty pleas follow guilty pleas by 25 other Irish Travelers earlier in the year on similar charges, most involving illegal financial schemes.

About 1,400 Irish Travelers, many related by blood and marriage, live in and around Murphy Village, an unincorporated area near North Augusta. The group, known for its closed ways and scams, is said to be descended from Irish immigrants who came to the area in the 1850s.

Tuesday’s guilty pleas are the result of a years-long federal, state and local investigation that is entering its final phases. More arrests are expected.

Each defendant faces a maximum prison term of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

According to filings in the case, the Irish Travelers pleading guilty Tuesday committed numerous financial crimes that involved millions of dollars.

They worked frauds involving car purchases, life insurance, food stamps, Medicaid and federal income tax returns, according to court filings. They also engaged in money laundering and “structuring” – keeping their bank withdrawals and deposits under $10,000 so the transactions would not be reported to federal authorities.

U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs told the Irish Travelers entering pleas – mostly women – that she would sentence them at a later date. All were released on an unsecured bond.

Most, if not all, will face some time in prison due to the seriousness and lengthy period of time over which the crimes were committed, federal prosecutors have said.

The guilty pleas are noteworthy because they showed the defendants recognized the government had overwhelming evidence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim May told the judge.

Instead of fighting the charges after receiving target letters – notices that the government has gathered evidence and planned to prosecute them for a crime – the Irish Travelers hired lawyers and negotiated plea deals, May said.

“They came forward, and they said, ‘You got us,’ ” said May.

In return, the government dropped a more serious racketeering charge, May said.

Two of the lead investigators — FBI agent Ron Grosse and Rick Nelson of the U.S. Marshal’s office – sat with May at the prosecution table. Federal prosecutor Jay Richardson is also on the case.

Beth Drake, U.S. attorney, described the Irish Travelers as being part of “an insular group in North Augusta ... that describes themselves as Travelers, lives in a defined geographic location, has unique language and traditions, and are funded largely by the illegal activities.”

Some outsiders – including car salesmen, insurance agents and tax preparers – joined with the Travelers in committing crimes that included mail and wire fraud, Drake said.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 12:55 PM with the headline "24 SC Irish Travelers plead guilty to criminal conspiracy."