COLUMBIA-United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Eduardo Nelson, James Quashaun Scott, both age 27 and of Dillon, SC, were sentenced in federal court in Florence, for conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit securities, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Florence sentenced Scott to 15 months imprisonment, after giving Scott credit for ten months which he served for the same charges while in state custody, and ordered Scott to pay $721.00 in restitution.  Judge Wooten sentenced Nelson to 7 months imprisonment, after giving Nelson credit for six months which he served for the same charges while in state custody, and ordered Nelson to pay $12,659.00 in restitution.
        Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Nelson and Alex Brown, who was  previously sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, manufactured counterfeit checks drawn on various businesses.  Scott, Baccus, and Arbrae Kelly, (previously pled guilty) and others, then obtained identification cards from the department of motor vehicles in various parts of South Carolina, to make it appear they were local to those areas so it would be easier to cash the counterfeit checks.  Nelson and Brown provided the checks to Baccus, Scott, Kelly and others and transported them to various locations in South Carolina.  After the checks were cashed, they split the proceeds.
        The case was investigated by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office and agents of the United States Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office handled the case.