https://abcnews4.com/news/local/3-n-charleston-city-councilmembers-5-others-charged-in-corruption-schemes-wciv-abc-news-4-charleston-sc-south-carolina-jerome-heyward-sandino-moses-mike-a-brown

Three North Charleston City Councilmembers and five others were federally charged for a slew of bribery, kickback, extortion, and money laundering schemes, acting US Attorney for the District of South Carolina Brook B. Andrews announced Wednesday.

Jerome Heyward, Sandino Moses, and Mike A. Brown all sit on North Charleston's city council, representing districts 5, 3, and 1 respectively. The others charged include Donavan Laval Moten, Aaron Charles-Lee Hicks, Hason Tatorian "Tory" Fields, Rose Emily Lorenzo, and Michelle Stent-Hilton.

Heyward, Moses, Moten, and Hicks all agreed plead guilty according to Andrews, and a federal grand jury returned indictments on Brown, Fields, Lorenzo, and Stent-Hilton. The four who agreed to plead guilty will appear in plea hearings on Feb. 28.

Heyward's resignation was confirmed Wednesday by the City of North Charleston. As of publication, his is the only resignation confirmed by the City.

Jerome Heyward was charged over three separate schemes according to Andrews, soliciting payments in exchange for his "official action as a City Councilman" in one, conspiring with Brown and Hicks to accept bribes from Hicks in exchange for Heyward's support in rezoning the Baker Hospital site, and conspiring with Moten, Lorenzo, and Stent-Hilton to embezzle money from the City of North Charleston by soliciting and accepting kickbacks from non-profits run by Moten and Stent-Hilton. He could face up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of three years.

Donavan Laval Moten allegedly conspired with Heyward and Lorenzo to pay Heyward kickbacks after the nonprofit Moten ran received funds from North Charleston. Moten has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, theft with respect to programs receiving federal funds, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and three years supervised release.

Michelle Stent-Hilton was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, theft with respect to programs receiving federal funds, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering. The indictment alleges that in her capacity as Heyward's personal assistant and non-profit affiliation, Stent-Hilton promised to pay the councilman a portion of the funds received from the City of North Charleston. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and a term of supervised release of three years.

Rose Emily Lorenzo worked with Heyward to launder the money as an intermediary, according to the indictment, receiving funds from Moten and Stent-Hilton and then wiring them directly to Heyward. She faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and three years of supervised release.

Councilman Mike A. Brown stands charged with conspiring with Heyward and Hicks to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud in the Baker Hospital rezoning scheme and faces a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of three years. He will be arraigned in March, according to Andrews.

Aaron Hicks was charged with conspiracy to bribe Brown and Heyward and in a separate conspiracy with Tory Fields to bribe Sandino Moses. He has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, and honest services wire fraud. He faces a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of three years.

Tory Fields was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, and honest services wire fraud. He allegedly worked with Hicks to pay bribes in an attempt to influence Councilman Moses in the Baker Hospital rezoning scheme. Fields faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release. He is expected to be arraigned in March, according to court dockets.

Councilman Sandino Moses was charged with misprision of a felony after he allegedly knew that Tory Fields and others had attempted to bribe him and paid him bribes, but he failed to disclose the "criminal conduct" and tried to cover it up by returning the money to Fields, Andrews said. He plead guilty and faces a maximum prison sentence of three years, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of one year.

The case was investigated by the FBI and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, according to the US Attorney's office.

“Public corruption at any level of government cannot be tolerated,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Citizens have a right to expect honesty, fairness, and integrity from their leaders."

SLED Chief Mark Keel praised his agency for working "hand-in-hand" with federal investigators to ensure that "justice will be served."

“No matter who you are, or what position you hold, you will be held accountable for breaking the law," said Keel. "Elected officials and citizens should be working together to better their community, not exploiting others.”

The US Attorney for South Carolina's office added that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.