Gambling Charges Lead To S.C. Deputy Getting Sentenced To Over Year In Prison

An ex-sheriff’s lieutenant testament drop o'er a twelvemonth inward prison for his role in a far-reaching illegal gaming operation in South Carolina.

Earlier this month, Chief South Carolinas US District Judge R. William Jennings Bryan Harwell sentenced former Florence County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Duke of Windsor Fuleihan, 49, to 12 months and 1 twenty-four hour period inwards federal prison. He will also be placed on court-ordered superintendence for trinity years after his liberate from prison.

Fuleihan could have been sentenced for up to 10 years in prison. He previously pled shamefaced to operating an illegal gambling concern in Florence and Williamsburg counties.

Fuleihan is ane of ogdoad of the nine defendants who entered hangdog pleas inward the case. The pleas were the result of a lengthy land and federal inquiry into illegal gambling and corruption.

County officials contacted state and federal investigators after allegations surfaced that gaming operators were getting tipped off most law of nature enforcement actions, as comfortably as wider suspicions almost the gambling ring.

Fuleihan was arrested endure year. He was indicted for operating an illegal play business, cabal to jam enforcement of say malefactor law, and blockage of an functionary proceeding. Fuleihan has been fired from the sheriff’s department.

Warrants, Wiretaps, and Raids

Authorities said he told the play operators nigh upcoming hunting warrants, wiretaps, and court-ordered raids. Fuleihan was able-bodied to make out that past asking law of nature enforcement officials to maintain him informed nigh hereafter trading operations related to gaming enforcement.

Fuleihan then shared the confidential information with the illegal play operation. He also allegedly sold seized gaming machines back up to the illegal gaming operation.

Fuleihan had been a Florence County Sheriff’s deputy since 1995. The play doughnut operated since 2014.

About $1 billion was deposited into the accounts of at to the lowest degree two members of the gaming organization. Prosecutors and practice of law enforcement officials chastised the deputy.

A practice of law enforcement officer’s badge and gun are non only if symbols of bank and professionalism, but they are also tools that should be used for protecting the public, non enabling outlaw activity,” Ronnie Martinez, the special agent inwards complaint for Homeland Security Investigations in Second Earl of Guilford and South Carolina,said in a statement.

“Corruption inward natural law enforcement undermines the public’s cartel and makes all of our jobs harder.”

Entire Profession Tarnished

Acting South Carolinas US Attorney M. Rhett DeHart added inwards the statement that, “This team was able to dismantle a felonious organisation that was bolstered past a crooked cop and to send that ship's officer to prison.”

“When a law enforcement ship's officer breaks the law, it tarnishes the entire profession, and we turn a loss the honour of the communities we serve,” echoed South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Chief Mark Keel.