Michelle Stent-Hilton, a 56-year-old resident of Goose Creek, has pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering. The case centers on her involvement in a scheme with former North Charleston City Councilmember Jerome Sydney Heyward.
According to investigators, Stent-Hilton conspired with Heyward and others to pay kickbacks in exchange for Heyward’s support of grant applications submitted by her non-profit organization, DEEP SC. At the time of the scheme, Heyward was serving as a city councilmember representing District 5 in North Charleston.
In 2022, North Charleston began awarding grants to non-profits aimed at reducing gun violence. Stent-Hilton applied for one such grant through DEEP SC and agreed to pay Heyward 20% of any funding received from the city in return for his influence and support. Investigators found that Heyward voted twice to award grant money both to DEEP SC and another non-profit without disclosing his agreement for kickbacks.
After DEEP SC was awarded $100,000 from the city, Stent-Hilton purchased a cashier’s check for $20,000 payable to Rose Lorenzo. Lorenzo acted as a bookkeeper who then wired funds from both Stent-Hilton and another non-profit into Heyward’s bank account. Stent-Hilton admitted that this process was used to launder the kickback payment through Lorenzo’s account.
Stent-Hilton faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted on all counts. She could also be fined up to $250,000 and may be required to pay restitution. If sentenced to prison time, she would face three years of supervision following her release. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted her guilty plea; sentencing will take place after review of a report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI Columbia Field Office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse are prosecuting.
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