3rd man sought in Ravenel drug case
FBI searching for Pellicoro overseas, U.S. attorney says
FBI searching for Pellicoro overseas, U.S. attorney says
Next week's sentencing of former state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel has been postponed, while the U.S. Attorney for South Carolina remains optimistic that the third figure in the cocaine case will be brought to justice.
Pasquale Pellicoro, a one-time local wine expert and Ravenel friend, hasn't been heard from since September and is believed to be living in Europe.
U.S. Attorney Reggie Lloyd said Wednesday that he expects Pellicoro to be located and that the FBI has been working with overseas authorities to find him.
"They do have some leads," he said. "We hope at some point very soon to have him do the right thing and come face these allegations."
Pellicoro, a native of Italy, was 53 when he fled South Carolina in September shortly after he was named in a charge of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine. After claiming he was in Switzerland, he has not been heard from since. He was not required to surrender his passport before his arraignment, officials said. His cell phone is no longer in service.
Lloyd said he knows of no one who is representing Pellicoro's interests in the case, such as a lawyer, either in the U.S. or overseas.
"You can only hide for so long," said Lloyd, who recently was nominated by Gov. Mark Sanford to lead the State Law Enforcement Division.
Lloyd's comments came as Monday's scheduled sentencing for Ravenel and co-defendant Michael Miller was moved back. One of the case agents is out of the state on assignment and wouldn't be able to appear next week, prosecutors said. They asked for a delay of 30 days.
U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. agreed to the move. A new date will be announced later.
Ravenel pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine. He resigned his treasurer's post in June after just a few months on the job. Prosecutors said Ravenel used the drug during parties at his home in Charleston but did not sell it. Miller, a local deejay, pleaded guilty to conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Pellicoro earlier said he'd met Ravenel at a language school years ago when Pellicoro was instructing him in French. He later became part of a circle of people who would congregate with Ravenel at homes in Charleston after the bars closed, he said.
Lloyd said the case won't necessarily end once Ravenel and Miller are sentenced, saying others might be targeted in what started out as an investigation into the cocaine problem in Charleston.
"The arrests and indictments of these individuals do not represent the sum total of our efforts," Lloyd said.
Reach Schuyler Kropf at skropf @postandcourier.com or 937-5551.
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Comments
janjanwa08 (anonymous) says...
how much money did he embezzle??
January 24, 2008 at 2:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Yeah more to this 'eh? Why would they be looking for him on a drug charge? From all accounts a petty bunch of self users and sharers. Sentence accordingly and move on. The biggest story here is one man was the state's treasurer and the son of a prominent congressman. MOVE ON...
January 24, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coryphaena (anonymous) says...
Go, Pasquale, go!!
January 24, 2008 at 6:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
What I want to know is why money is being spent looking for him oversees? Aren't there more serious problems that need attention? One might think that the "authorities" in this country don't have enough to do.
January 24, 2008 at 6:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
Thought Ravenel was still out on bond? No? Yes?
Interesting that he won't be sentenced prior to authorities finding a co-defendant. Why?
This article left too many unanswered questions :(
January 24, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillytheKid (anonymous) says...
He had the amount of cocaine that they found reduced to under 100 grams because they said that the quality of "his" drugs, if they were pure, would put it under 100 grams. That is because if it were over 100 grams, like it is, he would have had to go to jail!!!!!!! And for a long time.
Now the postpone the sentencing so we will forget about his crime some more and then they can let him off the hook. It is no wonder that SC is made so much fun of as being a backward state, another good ole boy gets some help from his friends.
January 24, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
"Lloyd said the case won't necessarily end once Ravenel and Miller are sentenced, saying -- others -- might be targeted in what started out as an investigation into the cocaine problem in Charleston."
OH, REALLY?
January 24, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillMan (anonymous) says...
If Ravenel's case arose out of an investigation started in 2006 obviously his case was just a subplot of the larger investigation! Expect people in the dealer/ distributor network to be targeted next, as for Ravenel and his cronies there is no more blood to be squeezed out of that turnip!
January 24, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Strider (anonymous) says...
Ravenel will not serve one single day in jail. Good old boy Tom is a member of the elite. We, as the working class, cannot understand the workings of that class. Now everyone, go back to work and forget about Tom!!
January 24, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whatelseisthere (anonymous) says...
I hear that there are some "prominent" men in Charleston who have retained high priced criminal attorneys in anticipation of the "investigation into the cocaine problem in Charleston." We shall see what $$$ buys in Chas.
January 24, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillMan (anonymous) says...
Whatelseisthere- Those rumors have been going around since this all broke, and they are just that rumors! Do you really think prominent men are worried about being charged for using cocaine over a year ago based on heresay? There are bigger fish to fry!
January 24, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Swift_N_Easy (anonymous) says...
BillMan- dont you think that they should be concerned. I dont want my community leaders to be drug abusers. Hell, if that's the way it's going to be, then why dont we just go pick out a president from the Charleston County Detention Center?
January 24, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillMan (anonymous) says...
Swift,
What charges could you bring against them, Ravenel is looking at 6 months tops for distributing 100 grams of cocaine to friends of his. What do you think these "prominent users" would face because someone said they were at a party using cocaine! Get Real!
January 24, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ln1959 (anonymous) says...
Speaking of a 100 gram, do you know what time I would get for having a 1 gram on me, at least a week in jail, and he had just a little less then 100 gram since it was not pure. You all are right. He wont spend a day in jail for this. How can you when there is a bridge name after your family member.
January 24, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SCJOP (anonymous) says...
This is so unimportant! These are all good men. The are being made a example of by the FBI and the US Attroney. Which is not uncommon. I feel this is one big witch hunt that is going to back fire on the authorities. There is a difference between selling, distributing and then using. There are too many secrets not being disclosed in this or any of the other articles. I mean why are they hunting for Mr.Pellicoro? Is this a Major drug trafficing case or operation? Are the moving kilos around the US? I mean come on. I have known the Ravenel family for many many years. But I have seen many cases more improtant in the aspect of trafficing get less attention than this. And most of thoses cases had bodies attactched to them. Meaning they were hard core drug trafficers that would kill just to get the drugs from point a to point b. And you never hear about that. There are too many things not being told adn too many things going on that are wrong. Mr Ravenel is a good man. And I hope you all pay close attention to how he is being treated trough all of this mess. I am still on his side. Hang in there Thomas! We are still behind you.
January 24, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whatelseisthere (anonymous) says...
Lawyers have been retained (and paid) for a reason. There are a lot of nervous rich boys in Chas.
January 24, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillMan (anonymous) says...
Yep,
All these rich boys and politicians were having these big parties too and the feds are just sitting on the info after a year as a surprise present! Man I bet these guys are nervous, think of the time they are facing! I wish I was a lawyer!
January 24, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillMan (anonymous) says...
Whatelse,
A friend of mine who is a local developer talked to Ravenel over the holidays at a Christmas party downtown and he laughed at the notion of other local politicos and figures being involved! He said it was all over but for the sentencing and the only one being pursued was the wine expert in Italy! You must be one of these lawyers you talk about representing the scared rich boys!
January 24, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnS (anonymous) says...
The wine merchant is the one they really want. Since he is a wine merchant it makes him as easier person to be interested in since he deals with many people. He can provide a list of people that could have cases brought against them. It's all about the budget with the feds. More crime means more cases to go to court. More cases means a larger budget to work with next fiscal year.
January 24, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
It isn't only about budget. It is about personal careers.
January 24, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bankz (anonymous) says...
SCJOP wrote "I feel this is one big witch hunt that is going to back fire on the authorities"
You idiot first he was an elected offcial that people put their trust in. And he is a drug addict. No witch hunt here they need to put his A** in jail just like everyone else.
My mother always told me birds of a feather flock together SCJOP you must be one of those birds.
January 24, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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