Sumter, Clarendon women face up to 20 years in prison after $550K bribery scheme involving SCDC inmates

Two women from Sumter and Clarendon counties were among five who pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon, July 22, in a prison bribery scheme of $550,000.

Adriana Conyers, 37, of Sumter, and Mary Ann Hickman-Brown, 64, of Clarendon, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, according to the United States Attorney for District of South Carolina. 

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Lowanda Atkinson, 52, of Kershaw County, a 16-year corrections officer with SCDC, accepted more than $550,000 in bribes from inmates Larry Williamson and Jason Brown, along with Hickman-Brown, his mother, Conyers, his nephew’s mother, Christopher Hickman, 46, his brother, of Richland County, and Courtney Briggs, his friend. 

In exchange for the bribes, Atkinson smuggled contraband cellphones, cellphone accessories, tobacco and controlled substances into Lee Correctional Institution in Lee County. 

The contraband was later sold to other inmates by Brown and Williamson and proceeds were split between Brown, Williamson and Atkinson. Atkinson later spent the proceeds on designer purchases, plastic surgery and a luxury SUV, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. 

Atkinson and Brown each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

U.S. Attorney charged Williamson and Briggs in a separate indictment. Briggs was arraigned on July 7 on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. Williamson is pending arraignment on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, five counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of use of an interstate facility to facilitate bribery and one count of drug conspiracy.

Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. 

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with SCDC to root out corruption within our correctional system, whether it originates inside the walls or through networks that support it from the outside,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Atkinson’s scheme is an example of law enforcement corruption, and we will not tolerate that in South Carolina.”

“This person took advantage of the trust given to her and conspired with inmates and their families to flood our prison with deadly contraband,” said SCDC Director Joel Anderson. “I'm glad they are all being held accountable for their crimes. Her conduct is not characteristic of our values or of the people who work in our department.”