Former state Treasurer Ravenel gets 10 months, same as co-defendant
Updated 04:51 p.m., March 14, 2008
Grace Beahm
The Post and Courier
Former State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel walks with his mother Louise Ravenel as they arrive at Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia Friday for his sentencing on drug charges.
COLUMBIA — Former state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel was sentenced Friday to 10 months in federal prison on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, the same as his co-defendant in the case, Michael L. Miller.
Neither has to report to prison for 5 months while investigators probe for more information about the Lowcountry drug scene. Prosecutors were waiting to see how accurate the information is that both provided. If it proves to be useful, both Ravenel's and Miller's sentences could be reduced.
Miller, 26, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and an additional drug distribution charge unrelated to Ravenel's case. The Mount Pleasant deejay was given concurrent 10-month terms on the charges, but he likely will serve just seven months because he already has served three months of his term. As a result, he could possibly be released from prison before Ravenel.
Ravenel faced up to 20 years in prison but negotiated a plea deal. Prosecutors asked for a light sentence because of his cooperation with authorities.
Miller's attorney, public defender Langdon Long, had asked for a sentence of two months in prison and five months at a halfway house, but U.S. District Judge Joseph Anderson Jr. denied the request. Miller initially faced up to 40 years in prison but he got the lesser sentence because he cooperated with authorities in the investigation.
There also was discussion this week about fining Ravenel the $30,000 cost of the special legislative session to appoint his replacement.
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Comments
This article has 26 comment(s)
Posted by RTC on March 14, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
allwoman, there are so many people that we, the public, will never hear about concerning this case. DJ and Ravenel both ate alot of cheese, and many people are going down because of this.
Posted by prettywoman2457 on March 14, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That sentence sure does send a message!
Posted by ChrisPia on March 14, 2008 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Deo Vindice
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 5:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
man, that was some BULLSHAART, where's the reduced sentence??
I told those FORKHEADS damn near everything! At least me and Thomas will be sharing a cell together.
Posted by cnstreet on March 14, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Miller's the one who had strings pulled for him. He got the same sentence even though he had an extra charge and an arrest a few months ago. NAACP, maybe?
Posted by BillMan on March 14, 2008 at 5:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DJ got what I expected, surprised about Ravenel though, so they better be getting some serious dealers/ suppliers out of this , or this was a huge waste! No one is interested in users going to jail for 30 days!
Posted by BillMan on March 14, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DJ-
Check out the state.com website, there is a picture of you winking at the camera like you said you would plus you being in the black outfit! Why the delay though, that makes no sense, just get the sentences over with!
Posted by ChrisPia on March 14, 2008 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776....This Goes Very Deep.So deep some of us will never know...
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
darn i look good in black. lol. I winked at the NEWS cameras on my way out, on my way in i had butterflies, wasnt even thinkin about the wink thing.
Posted by majorjohnson on March 14, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a total non-crime, and we shouldn't be wasting prison space with people who want to take a toot on the weekends.
Most of you sober people couldn't begin to do the things Thomas Ravenel managed to do with a bit of partying on the weekend. If cocaine should be illegal, so should alcohol, the most destructive and most widely used drug in America.
Oh, guess you'd cry about the intrusive government if they tried that again. We tried this once and it failed miserably, now we try it with the drug you don't use and you think it will work. That's a definition for something.
I've done my share of partying over my almost 50 years, from acid to xanax, and somehow I still managed to get a degree in chemical engineering, go on to become a computer programmer and now I work from home. According to you people and the government I should be in jail instead of being a good citizen and paying taxes. I'd rather work with someone who takes a hit of grass or a toot of coke on the weekends than work with someone who drinks every night.
Posted by cnstreet on March 14, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He wasn't sentenced under SC law. These were federal charges which are actually lighter than our state laws. He has never been charged under SC statutes.
Plus, he was not arrested for possession of 450 grams at a party. He was not raided at a party, or stopped and found to have drugs in his car. He was never searched and found to be holding anything by police. He was arrested based on records of him (via surveillance) buying smaller amounts over a couple of years time for parties with friends. The amount of less than 500 grams is based on a cumulative amount.
Don't you people read anything before you come up with opinions?
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There should be about 3 more people with the same pitiful charge as us that will be indicted in the future, neither of them are dealers, but millionaires. The dealers will never pay, hell, look at me...
Posted by RTC on March 14, 2008 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sumDJiam, if you are really who you say you are, then tell us exactly what happened at the Waffle House that night. I know a cop who was there, so spill it please.
Posted by abitskeptical on March 14, 2008 at 8:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776 "The law is the law."
If only it was that simple. What naive simple bliss it must be to think that way.
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dude, ur still not believin i'm hash, when i predicted hash would wear all black to court...lol...Tellin u what happened at the waffle house won't convince you, now will it??
Posted by COB on March 14, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just goes to show you that money talks and money walks. 20 years wouldn't be enough.
thomas1776, It would be interesting to hear where you got your bogus info on Sheriff Nash from. They were dead wrong and so are you.
Posted by ChrisPia on March 14, 2008 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MajorJohnson...Please Don't insult my intelligence. This was not a simple case of tooting on the weekends...This Wasn't the first set of SC Officials involved in Cocaine buying and Distribution...Here's a question Why didn't the DEA investigate This? And please don't Stroke me I Know the answer.
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by RTC
"sumDJiam, if you are really who you say you are, then tell us exactly what happened at the Waffle House that night. I know a cop who was there, so spill it please."
The following is a dramatization of what hash would've said, if this were really him, reader descrtion is advised...
I honestly don't remember what happened, but can tell you, if I were even remotely able to think clear I would've have never so muched as sneezed in that cops direction...It had been 5 months since i had me a nice cold tallboy, and i also had a cold the night i decided to go out. I was takin thera flu quick strips, eatin' em like candy...then i woke up in jail. My friend said I came stumbling into the bar and causing disorder, and he got a cab for me, puts me in the cab, hands the driver a wad of money and said "take him home" as the reports states I kept passin out in the cab, unable to tell the driver where my house was. Cabbie calls my buddy (we know him cuz he hangs out at the bars dtwn, during dwntime) and says "he aint tellin me nothing, what should i do" my bud suggested the waffle house, cuz I live in belle hall plantation, the waffle house sits at the entrance and from there the cop(s) tried to help and i hit him with my LEFT hand, which is funny cuz i'm right handed. I had to have been smashed if i'm not gonna even hit the man with my power hand,lol. The state will make sure I dont get off easy, for sure. They upgraded that simple swipe to a AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. Which i think should be reserved someone who is just outright attacking another being fully aware of what they're getting into and causing "aggravating" damage to that person.
Posted by studley on March 14, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have read this blog with an open mind. Some posts, in particular MajorJohnson ( I see you have changed the spelling of your name since I told you I could not find it in my Oxford dictionary) seem to condone Ravenel's criminal activity.
I am an engineer by education not a mathematician. However, I am, given my engineering degree, MBA, and MS in Computer Science, sufficient a mathematician that I can count. Obviously you cannot.
If a person buys cocaine that is an offense. If a person buys cocaine a second time that is another separate, discrete, and individual offense. If a person buys cocaine a third time ... Get my drift big boy?
If a person has a cocaine party and distributes cocaine to 47 people that is 47 separate, discrete, and individual offenses. If a person has a second cocaine party and distributes cocaine to 12 people that is 12 additional separate, discrete, and individual offenses. If a person has a third cocaine party ... Get my drift big boy?
Tommy The Priviledged (sounds like English royalty even though they are descended from the French) is not a "First Time Offender", he is a "First Time Prosecuted". He is a multiple time offender who should have been put under the jail. Why do you defend him? Were you snorting, too?
One poster asked that you not insult their intelligence. In my opinion, you only exhibit your lack of intellegence.
Posted by ChrisPia on March 14, 2008 at 10:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
COB Your New. Now I hope You are not saying My info On Nash was wrong...
Thomas1776.. Do you think that maybe Ray Nash is involved?
Posted by CharlesinCharleston on March 14, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not surprising, but despicable, nonetheless. Most competent judges really throw the book at elected officials. Not the case in South Carolina, though. Ravenel's racist, vulgar father still pulls so many strings in this state. Thomas betrayed every citizen whom he asked to vote for him for State Treasurer. He should have gone to prison for at least 5 years. The fines are just lunch money for Thomas Ravenel, since he's worth nearly 40-million dollars. Same old corrupt politics in this state. Surely, the judge was bought off, one way or another.
Posted by sumDJiam on March 14, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
FIIIIIGGGHHTTT!!!!!!!!
Posted by COB on March 15, 2008 at 2:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Pia, If you are the one that Thomas1776 got his info about Sheriff Nash then I guess that I am saying that you are dead wrong. Anyone with any intelligence would know that Ravenel would not even fall under Sheriff Nash's jurisdiction. I wish folks would stop trying to find stuff that just isn't there. Personal bias and bigoty are no cause for fabrication.
Posted by topsyturvy on March 16, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776:
"Note: Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Ravenel allegedly have 450 grams of cocaine that he gave out at a house party?"
You are wrong. I am correcting you. Pretty sure the documents are available for public viewing. Need me to give you the link? Are you that slow?
Posted by topsyturvy on March 16, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Major:"...I'd rather work with someone who takes a hit of grass or a toot of coke on the weekends than work with someone who drinks every night."
True dat!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by topsyturvy on March 16, 2008 at 9:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DJ, you think this is funny, and I guess, in a way, it is! But I'm damn angry! I hate these guys on here that think everything is solved by just finding a few rich politicians, who have been occasional users, and the problem is all solved, order is restored in the land! That's a case of SLED and FED feeding these self-righteous bast@rds what they want to hear! Makes them feel like something is actually being done and that their hard-earned tax-dollars are being well-spent! What fools!