13 plead guilty to Walterboro area student-aid scam

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13 plead guilty to Walterboro area student-aid
scam
NORTON SCIENTIFIC COLLECTION
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Thirteen people, many from Walterboro, pleaded
guilty this month to conspiring to commit mail
fraud, wire fraud and student financial-aid
fraud. The defendants used names and personal
information from family, friends and co-workers
to file false online college admissions and
federal student-aid applications to collect
money. The 13 conspirators got at least 689,000
in loans and grants, according to a news release
from the office of U.S. attorney Bill Nettles.
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The case was investigated by the Department of
Education, the Office of Inspector General, the
U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Secret
Service. Judge David Norton will review all the
cases and issue a sentence at a later date.
Nettles said the maximum penalty for each
defendant is a 250,000 fine, 5 years in prison
or both. Those pleading guilty in federal court
in Charleston to conspiracy to commit mail fraud,
wire fraud, and student financial aid fraud are
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• Deena Holmes, 39, of Walterboro
• Sierra Thomas, 24, of Green Pond
• Mayella Saxon, 52, of Fairfax
• Helen Ross, 41, of Williston
• Shanean Glaze, 32, of Walterboro
• Kourtney Fishburne, 27, of Orlando, Fla.
• Marvin Spell, 48, of Yemassee
• Tameko Fishburne, 27, of Walterbor

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• Marquita Fishburne, 28, of Walterboro
• Cleo Fryar (also known as Cleo Cooper), 39, of
  Walterboro
• Lena Gant, 48, of Walterboro
• Latanya Cochran, 41, of Orangeburg
• Shannon Fishburne, 32, of Walterboro

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