Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that the Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit (VCCRU) achieved its first trial conviction last week. This development comes after six months of court activity and the adoption of over 180 violent crime cases by the unit. The team has managed to close or issue bench warrants in more than 10% of these cases.
On June 26, a jury in Sumter convicted Jason Barnes, 43, for the murder of Richard “Ricky” Preusser, 51. The incident occurred on August 19, 2022, at a home owned by Preusser where Barnes was staying. Barnes had brought the revolver used in the murder from the West Coast two weeks prior. A mobile phone found by a canine officer during Barnes’ apprehension provided critical information about his intentions and efforts to retrieve the murder weapon before law enforcement could find it.
Judge Ferrell Cothran sentenced Barnes to 38 years for murder and five years for a weapons charge, with both sentences running concurrently.
The VCCRU was established by Attorney General Wilson last year to support solicitors’ offices facing significant backlogs of violent crime cases. “These first pleas and trials are the beginning of what will be many cases our Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit will close to bring justice to crime victims in South Carolina,” said Attorney General Wilson.
The case investigation was conducted by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office along with Special Investigators Rebecca Sessions and Cameron Warren from the Attorney General’s Office. Assistant Attorney General Angela Tanner served as the primary prosecutor, assisted by VCCRU Assistant Attorney General Chris Scalzo. Additional contributions came from paralegals Glenda Amick and Margaret Osburn, law clerk Emily Culbreath, victim advocate Glynna Fogle, Assistant Attorney General Monty Bell, and Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General Heather S. Weiss.
