South Carolina gang law: the Criminal Gang Prevention Act and the federal tools

South Carolina's Criminal Gang Prevention Act, effective June 12, 2007, defines a criminal gang as a group of five or more persons engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity and creates offenses, forfeiture, a SLED statewide gang database and State Grand Jury authority. Federal prosecutors in South Carolina use RICO, VICAR and firearm statutes against street gangs, often through the FBI-led Columbia Violent Gangs Task Force. As of October 14, 2026, the 2025-2026 anti-racketeering bills S.76 and H.5062 show no enactment. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Key South Carolina cases

The Attorney General has used the State Grand Jury for gang cases. On March 21, 2018 the AG announced drug and criminal gang indictments of 15 people alleged to be part of the Paid Family gang in Richland and Lexington counties, and on May 3, 2018 announced criminal gang-related indictments of eight people in Richland, Lexington and Newberry counties. [7][8]

Federal prosecutors in South Carolina have used RICO conspiracy for street gangs. Calvin James Hall of Irmo was convicted of RICO conspiracy as a member or associate of the Bloods on July 25, 2013 and sentenced to life without parole on June 6, 2014. The last indicted member of the Cowboys gang of Walterboro was sentenced to 20 years for RICO conspiracy on December 18, 2017. VICAR (18 U.S.C. 1959) and federal firearm statutes appear alongside RICO. On February 24, 2016, fourteen alleged members and associates of two street gangs were indicted in Charleston on racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges. On November 21, 2017, five alleged Elm Street Piru Bloods members were indicted for conspiracy to attempt to murder a State witness in aid of racketeering and conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. 924(o). [3][9][10][11]

On August 15, 2019, the U.S. Attorney announced that all 33 Horry County and Myrtle Beach defendants indicted after a federal wiretap investigation into the G-Shine/SMG gang had pleaded guilty. [12]

On December 10, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a 147-count superseding indictment against 40 defendants, described as the largest federal racketeering conspiracy in South Carolina history. On August 18, 2023, the U.S. Attorney announced that the final defendant was sentenced and that all defendants had pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, VICAR, or drug conspiracy. [13][14]

Where it stands

S.76, sponsored by Senator Hembree and titled Criminal Gang and Anti-Racketeering, amends Section 16-8-230. It was prefiled December 11, 2024, reported favorably with amendment by Senate Judiciary on March 26, 2025, amended January 21, 2026, and continued on April 28, 2026; the bill page shows no passage or Act number. The January 21, 2026 version would make racketeering activity unlawful as a felony of five to 20 years. H.5062, sponsored by Representative Robbins with the same short title, was introduced and referred to House Judiciary on January 29, 2026. Its caption provides a mechanism to abate a public nuisance of real property used by a criminal gang. [5][15][6]

On March 26, 2026, the Attorney General announced a State Grand Jury indictment of two men for a July 5, 2022 Chester County murder, alleged to be the culmination of retaliatory shootings between rival gangs, in partnership with SLED and the Chester County Sheriff's Office. [16]

The full profile, with every source, the county records and a dated timeline, is on the group page.