Upstate woman part of human trafficking conspiracy involving minors, DOJ says

TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR ON THIS FRIDAY MORNING. WE BEGIN WITH A FAILED VOTE TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. YOU’RE LOOKING LIVE RIGHT NOW IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE LAWMAKERS WILL RECONVENE THIS MORNING. THIS VERSION OF A STOPGAP FUNDING BILL WAS WRITTEN WITH PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP IN MIND. HE CAME OUT AGAINST A BIPARTISAN DEAL YESTERDAY, SENDING LAWMAKERS SCRAMBLING TO WRITE A NEW MEASURE THAT ALSO RAISES THE DEBT CEILING. THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AT 1201 SATURDAY MORNING. MEANWHILE, THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR’S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM IS ENCOURAGING DRIVERS TO DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER. THE HOLIDAY BOOZE IT AND LOSE IT CAMPAIGN IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY. FROM NOW THROUGH JANUARY 5TH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WILL BE STEPPING UP PATROLS AND CHECKPOINTS TO TRY AND FIND DRIVERS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER SUBSTANCES. ACCORDING TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THERE WERE MORE THAN 12,000 CRASHES LAST YEAR ACROSS THE STATE INVOLVING AN IMPAIRED DRIVER AND NEARLY 400 OF THOSE RESULTED IN DEATHS. MAJOR AIRLINES PROJECT TODAY IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST DAYS FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL OF THE YEAR. WE’RE LOOKING LIVE RIGHT NOW FROM THE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. TSA SAYS IT EXPECTS TO SCREEN NEARLY 40 MILLION TRAVELERS IN AIRPORTS IN MAJOR CITIES, INCLUDING ATLANTA, ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE MOST CROWDED IN THE MORNINGS BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND NOON. FOR THOSE FLYING OUT OF GSP. OFFICIALS SAY DON’T WING IT. YOU SHOULD TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT AT LEAST TWO HOURS EARLY. THERE’S ALSO PLENTY OF CLEMSON FANS HEADING TO AUSTIN FOR THE PLAYOFF GAME AS WELL. SPEAKING OF THAT, THE TIGERS ARE BACK IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2020, KICKING OFF TOMORROW AT FOUR AGAINST THE TEXAS LONGHORNS. SPORTS DIRECTOR MARC WHITEMAN AND JULIA MORRIS REPORT FROM THE LONE STAR STATE. CLEMSON’S SEVENTH COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF APPEARANCE IS NEARLY HERE, TRAILING ONLY ALABAMA FOR THE MOST IN THE PLAYOFF ERA. BUT FOR MOST OF THIS ROSTER HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS. YEAH, MARK, ONLY THREE CLEMSON PLAYERS WERE ON THAT TIGERS TEAM BACK IN 2020 THAT LOST IN THE SUGAR BOWL IN CLEMSON’S LAST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF APPEARANCE. BUT AS LINEBACKER BARRETT CARTER SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE REASON HE CAME TO CLEMSON IS TO PLAY IN GAMES LIKE THIS. AND LISTEN, THE TIGERS KNOW THEY ARE UNDERDOGS ON THE ROAD PLAYING AGAINST TEXAS, BUT THEY ARE ENJOYING THE FACT THAT NOBODY IS BELIEVING IN THEM. AFTER LOSING TO SOUTH CAROLINA. AND THAT HEARTBREAKING PALMETTO BOWL, ALL THEY DID WAS GO TO CHARLOTTE AND BEAT THE ACC’S ONLY UNDEFEATED CONFERENCE TEAM, SMU, FOR A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AND A COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BERTH, BECOMING THE FIRST THREE LOSS TEAM TO EVER MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. THIS IS WHAT THEY WORK ALL YEAR FOR. THEIR CERTAINLY PROUD OF THEMSELVES AND GOT SOME WIND AT THEIR BACK FOR WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT IT’S A NEW SEASON. WE’RE HUNGRY, YOU KNOW. WE’VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. YOU KNOW, IT’S PART OF OUR LINEAGE AND PART OF OUR HISTORY. BUT NOBODY ON THIS TEAM HAS EVER, EVER WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. SO I THINK THAT THAT’S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN’T TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, IS HOW HUNGRY WE ARE TO GET THIS THING DONE. AND MARK, EVEN THOUGH CLEMSON WILL BE PLAYING IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT ON SATURDAY, THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT WINNING ON THE ROAD. THE TIGERS HAVE WON 40 TRUE ROAD GAMES OVER THE LAST DECADE. THAT’S GOOD FOR THE SECOND BEST MARK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL DURING THAT SPAN. HOPE YOU WILL JOIN JULIA CHASE AND ME FOR OUR ROAD TO THE TITLE SPECIAL COMING UP FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 AS WE BREAK DOWN ALL THE BIG STORYLINES AHEAD OF CLEMSON, TEXAS, AS WELL AS LOOK AHEAD TO GEORGIA, SUGAR BOWL AND SOUTH CAROLINA PLAYING IN THE CITRUS BOWL IN AUSTIN FOR JULIA MORRIS. I’M MARC WHITEMAN, WYFF NEWS FOUR SPORTS. CLEMSON WINS. THEY WILL PLAY FOURTH-RANKED ARIZONA STATE IN THE CHICK FIL A PEACH BOWL ON NEW YEAR’S DAY. GEORGIA WILL PLAY IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS. THE BULLDOGS WILL TAKE ON THE WINNER OF THE INDIANA AND NOTRE DAME MATCHUP IN THE SUGAR BOWL ON NEW YEAR’S DAY, AND THE GAMECOCKS ARE HEADING TO ORLANDO TO TAKE ON ILLINOIS IN THE CITRUS BOWL. THAT’S HAPPENING DECEMBER 31ST. MEANWHILE, THE TOP HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA ARE HELPING PUT A SMILE ON THE FACES OF YOUNG PATIENTS IN GREENVILLE. AHEAD OF TOMORROW’S GAME, SHRINE BOWL PARTICIPANTS TOURED SHRINERS CHILDREN’S GREENVILLE A TRADITION GOING ON FOR 87 YEARS. MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY IS JUST HOW STRONG THESE KIDS ARE. I MEAN, THEY’RE GOING THROUGH BATTLES EVERY DAY AND THEY GOT SMILES ON THEIR FACES. THEY’RE LAUGHING, THEY’RE JOKING, AND I MEAN, THEY’RE GOING THROUGH STUFF THAT I COULDN’T EVEN IMAGINE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST IT JUST SHOWS HOW GRATEFUL WE HAVE TO BE FOR THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE. SPARTANBURG HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS THE SHRINE BOWL TOMORROW AT 1:00. ALL RIGHT, LET’S GET A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER. FOR THE MOMENT, IT IS A LITTLE FOGGY OUTSIDE THIS MORNING. WE CAN SEE THAT ON THE HILTON GREENVILLE SKYCAM AS THE SUN COMES UP BEHIND IT. BUT THE FOG ITSELF ISN’T TOO THICK, AT LEAST IN A COUPLE PLACES IT IS. BUT MAJORITY, MOSTLY SPEAKING, IT ISN’T TOO TOO BAD. BIT OF DENSE FOG OVER TOWARDS FRANKLIN COUNTY AND HART COUNTY. NORTHEAST GEORGIA VISIBILITY A HALF A MILE IN HARTWELL, A LITTLE THICK IN GREENWOOD AS WELL. AT POINT EIGHT MILES THERE. BUT FOR THE MOST OF US, THE FOG ISN’T TOO, TOO BIG OF AN ISSUE. TEMPERATURES ARE A LITTLE CHILLY OUTSIDE THIS MORNING. LOW 40S FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA, MID 40S FOR MUCH OF THE UPSTATE, AND SOME 30S AND UPPER 30S TOWARDS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. WE’VE GOT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL, BUT ONLY FOR PART OF THE MOUNTAINS. IT’S REALLY ONLY THE SMOKIES, AS IT’S KNOWN COLLOQUIALLY OVER TOWARDS BRYSON CITY, WAYNESVILLE, SWAIN AND HAYWOOD COUNTIES NORTH OF THIS AREA WILL GET SOME DECENT SNOW SHOWERS THAT START FORMING THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. FOR TODAY’S FORECAST, HERE’S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE UPSTATE. MIX OF CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE. IT WILL BE PRETTY NICE OVERALL, A LITTLE BREEZY AT TIMES. TEMPERATURES TOPPING OUT IN THE MID 50S. AND AGAIN THAT CHANCE FOR SNOW PICKING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS LATER ON TODAY AS WE TOP OUT IN THE UPPER 40S, WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND AND WHAT TO EXPECT CHRISTMAS DAY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. INTO THE ROADS NOW AT 650 I-85 NORTH NEAR PELHAM ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, AN AREA WHERE WE DO SOMETIMES SEE SLOWDOWNS AT THIS TIME. LOOKING FANTASTIC THIS MORNING. NO SLOWDOWNS, NO DELAYS, A FEW MORE CARS, BUT NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. OUR TRAVEL TIMES HAVE LOOKED GOOD THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, HAVE NOT MOVED FROM THE GREEN AT 11 MINUTES. AIRPORT ON WOODRUFF ROAD IS UP JUST A MINUTE, BUT AT SEVEN MINUTES, 85 SOUTHBOUND AND 385 NORTHBOUND, FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN SITS AT 14 MINUTES. RIGHT NOW. CAROWINDS HAS ANNOUNCED SOME NEW CHANGES. THE AMUSEMENT PARK IS RETIRING THREE RIDES THE NIGHTHAWK, SCREAM, WEAVER AND DROP TOWER. THE SCREAM WEAVER OPENED BACK IN 1979, WHILE THOSE OTHER RIDES DEBUTED IN THE LATE 90S AND EARLY 2000. THE PARK SAYS THE REASON IS TO ACCOMMODATE AN EXPANSION PLAN THAT INCLUDES TWO FAMILY RIDES OPENING IN 2025 AND AN INTERACTIVE RAFT RIDE AND CAMP SNOOPY OPENING IN 2026. AN UPSTATE CHURCH FOUNDED WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS PRESIDENT, IS OPENING A NEW WORSHIP CENTER THAT’S JUST PART OF TODAY’S NEW FOR YOU, ALONG WITH CLASSIC MOVIE DINING OPTIONS. HERE’S OUR STEPHANIE TROTTER WITH MORE. THE HOLIDAYS ARE THE PERFECT TIME TO UP YOUR DINING GAME AND TABLE 301 RESTAURANTS HAVE DONE JUST THAT WITH SPECIALS THAT MINE MOVIE MAGIC. THE LAZY GOAT IS CHANNELING THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS WITH ITS ROAST BEEF FEAST, AND WHO PUDDING JONES OYSTER COMPANY IS OFFERING A DRINK CALLED THE YUKON PICKAX FROM RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, AND TAVOLA HAS TAPPED INTO ELF. YEP, YOU CAN ORDER THE BUDDY PASTA WITH SPAGHETTI, MARSHMALLOWS, M AND M’S CRUSH POP TARTS AND MAPLE SIRUP. AS WE APPROACH DECEMBER THE 25TH, FOLKS CAN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS UNDER THE STARS. JUST LIKE THE WISE MEN. ADVENT UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES SCUFFLETOWN CAMPUS IS HOLDING A CHRISTMAS EVE EVE SERVICE IN A NEW LOCATION THIS YEAR. HEAD TO COMMERCE PARK ON DEPOT STREET IN DOWNTOWN FOUNTAIN INN ON DECEMBER THE 23RD. HOT CHOCOLATE WILL BE SERVED AT 530, WITH SERVICES STARTING AT SIX. AND ONE OF THE AREA’S OLDEST CHURCHES IS OPENING A NEW WORSHIP CENTER JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. SERVICES. BRUSHY CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN TAYLORS IN 1794. MEMBERS WILL MOVE INTO THEIR NEW WORSHIP CENTER ON DECEMBER THE 22ND FOR MORNING SERVICES. THEY WILL THEN HOLD CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES ON THE 24TH AT FOUR AND 6:00. EVERYONE IS INVITED TO EXPLORE WHAT’S CALLED THE MOTHER CHURCH OF GREENVILLE ON BEHALF OF OUR NEWS FAMILY TO YOURS, WE HOPE EVERYONE HAS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW YEAR FILLED WITH LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE NEW FOR YOU. THE NEW LAKE LURE RAINBOW BRIDGE IS DECORATED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. YOU CAN FIND IT ON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY NEAR THE LAKE LURE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. WE’RE TOLD THE WREATH YOU SEE THERE WAS DONATED BY THE SHELBY ROTARY CLUB. THAT VIRAL PEP MEMORIAL WAS

Two South Carolina women part of human trafficking conspiracy involving minors, DOJ says

Updated: 10:10 AM EST Dec 20, 2024

Two South Carolina women, one from Clinton, have been convicted in a human trafficking conspiracy involving minors. Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, of Clinton, and Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in federal court in Columbia.The Department of Justice said that evidence presented in court showed that between December 2002 and August 2023 , the women worked together with co-defendants Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts to exploit three minors in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors.The DOJ said Nicholson and Perry recruited one minor victim when they encountered her at a hotel as a runaway. They drove her across state lines, told her that she was going to work in commercial sex, bought her lingerie, took photos of her, advertised her for commercial sex on the internet, and arranged for customers to exploit her at hotels in the Columbia area and elsewhere in the state. According to the DOJ, Nicholson set prices, collected proceeds, decided which minor victims would receive some portion of the proceeds, and how much they would receive. Gary chatted with customers as if she was a minor victim, transported a minor to another city to be exploited, collected proceeds, and turned them over to Nicholson, and intervened with customers when problems arose, all while the minor was multiple states away from her family. The DOJ said Perry helped in a similar way.Officials said two additional minor victims were recruited near a high school, and they were exploited on days they were not in school. Members of the conspiracy used the internet to advertise the minors, communicate with customers, arrange encounters, and collect proceeds.The DOJ said one minor victim was subjected to physical assault, and several of the members of the conspiracy carried firearms and distributed drugs around the minor victims.Gary and Perry face a penalty of up to life in prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Gary and Perry agreed to pay restitution to the victims.United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gary and Perry after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.The indictment remains pending against Nicholson and Counts. Charges in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CLINTON, S.C. —

Two South Carolina women, one from Clinton, have been convicted in a human trafficking conspiracy involving minors.

Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, of Clinton, and Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in federal court in Columbia.

The Department of Justice said that evidence presented in court showed that between December 2002 and August 2023 , the women worked together with co-defendants Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts to exploit three minors in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors.

The DOJ said Nicholson and Perry recruited one minor victim when they encountered her at a hotel as a runaway. They drove her across state lines, told her that she was going to work in commercial sex, bought her lingerie, took photos of her, advertised her for commercial sex on the internet, and arranged for customers to exploit her at hotels in the Columbia area and elsewhere in the state.

According to the DOJ, Nicholson set prices, collected proceeds, decided which minor victims would receive some portion of the proceeds, and how much they would receive. Gary chatted with customers as if she was a minor victim, transported a minor to another city to be exploited, collected proceeds, and turned them over to Nicholson, and intervened with customers when problems arose, all while the minor was multiple states away from her family. The DOJ said Perry helped in a similar way.

Officials said two additional minor victims were recruited near a high school, and they were exploited on days they were not in school. Members of the conspiracy used the internet to advertise the minors, communicate with customers, arrange encounters, and collect proceeds.

The DOJ said one minor victim was subjected to physical assault, and several of the members of the conspiracy carried firearms and distributed drugs around the minor victims.

Gary and Perry face a penalty of up to life in prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Gary and Perry agreed to pay restitution to the victims.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gary and Perry after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The indictment remains pending against Nicholson and Counts. Charges in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.