Sei sulla pagina 1di 5

2:18-mj-00029-MCRI Date Filed 02/15/18 Entry Number 1 Page 1 of 1

AO 91 (Rev. 11 /1 1) Criminal Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT


for the
District of South Carolina

United States of America )


v. )
) Case No. 2:18-mj-00029
THOMAS LAWTON EVANS JR. )
)
)
)
Defendant(s)

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of February 13-14, 2018 in the county of in the
- - -- - - - - --
District of South Carolina , the defendant(s) violated:

Code Section Offense Description


18 U.S.C. 1201 (a), (g) Kidnapping - person under the age of eighteen

This criminal complaint is based on these facts:


See attached affidavit

~ Continued on the attached sheet.

-
Complainant's signature

Matt Rhue, Special Agent, FBI


Printed name and title

Sworn to before me and signed in my presence.

Date:

City and state: Charleston, SC Mary Gordon Baker, U.S. Magistrate Judge
Printed name and title
2:18-mj-00029-MCRI Date Filed 02/15/18 Entry Number 1-1 Page 1 of 4

AFF AIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF


A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

I, Matthew Rhue, being first duly sworn, hereby depose and state as follows:

INTRODUCTION AND AGENT BACKGROUND

1. I make this affidavit in support of a criminal complaint charging THOMAS

LAWTON EVANS JR., with committing violations of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.),

Sections 1201 (a) and (g) (Kidnapping involving a person under the age of eighteen), between

the dates of approximately February 13, 2018, and February 14, 2018, in the District of South

Carolina and elsewhere.

2. I am a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and have

been so employed since June 2004. As such, I am vested with the authority to investigate

violations of Federal Law. I am currently assigned to the FBI Columbia Division, Charleston

Resident Agency, and have the responsibility for investigating a myriad of criminal violations

that include kidnapping.

3. This affidavit is intended to show merely that there is sufficient probable cause

for the complaint and does not set forth all of my knowledge about this matter. With regard to

the information contained in the affidavit, I either have personal knowledge of the information or

have based my statements upon my review of documents, reports, or information conveyed to me

by law enforcement officers involved in witness interviews and other investigative activities.

4. Based on my training and experience and the facts as set forth in this affidavit,

there is probable cause to believe that THOMAS LAWTON EV ANS JR. has committed

violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1201(a) and (g).

SUMMARY OF PROBABLE CAUSE


2:18-mj-00029-MCRI Date Filed 02/15/18 Entry Number 1-1 Page 2 of 4

5. As detailed in this affidavit, there is probable cause to believe that THOMAS

LAWTON EVANS JR. unlawfully kidnapped and abducted ("H.T."), an individual who had not

reached the age of eighteen, and transported her in interstate commerce, specifically transported

her across state lines, from South Carolina to Alabama.

6. On February 13, 2018, Victim 1, ("B.T.") dropped off two of her children at

school and returned home to her residence on Johns Island, Charleston, South Carolina. B.T.

reported that she returned home around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. and had three of her children with her.

As B. T. was entering her home she was attacked from behind by a male who had a knife. The

attacker pushed her into the home and tackled her to the ground. The attacker then physically

assaulted B.T. causing facial fractures and brain bleeding, among other significant injuries.

7. Later in the day of February 13, 2018, the police were notified when no one

picked up the two children that B.T. had dropped off at school that morning. Pursuant to this

notification, at approximately 5:50 p.m., Charleston Police Department officers responded to

B.T.'s home to conduct a welfare check. When officers approached B.T.'s home, they could see

evidence inside the home consistent with a physical assault, such as blood. B.T. met officers at

the door, and officers could see that she had significant facial trauma and markings as if she had

been tied up. Officers then entered the house to clear it and found items consistent with B.T.

being tied up. Officers and first responders were able to locate two of B.T. 's children but were

unable to locate H.T.

8. B.T. reported to officers that when she came home a male had come up behind

her and assaulted her, and she told H.T. to run and hide. B.T. reported that she was then

continually assaulted by the male who had come up behind her. B.T. was admitted to the

hospital due to her injuries, which have necessitated extensive treatment.

2
2:18-mj-00029-MCRI Date Filed 02/15/18 Entry Number 1-1 Page 3 of 4

9. On February 14, 2018 at 7:29 a.m., investigators learned that an electronic access

device belonging to B.T. was used at a gas station in Greensboro, Georgia. Video surveillance

from the gas station showed a white male wearing a bluet-shirt attempting to use the device. A

car belonging to the white male could not be identified on the video due to the angle of the video

camera, but the video camera did capture the white male's face and features.

10. Throughout February 14, 2018, law enforcement in Charleston, SC, put out

several bulletins that had photos of H.T., indicating that she was missing.

11. On February 14, 2018, Police Chief Rick Oliver, in Riverside, Alabama, received

a call regarding a suspicious vehicle parked near railroad tracks. Chief Oliver located the car, a

blue Chevy Impala with Illinois tags, and approached the car. When he got to the car Chief

Oliver saw a little girl in the car wearing adult sized clothing. He then spoke to the car's driver

and noticed the odor of intoxicants about the driver's person. Chief Oliver then had the driver

get out of the car, and was given an ID by the driver. The ID indicated that the driver was

THOMAS LAWTON EV ANS JR. At that time, Chief Oliver became worried about the welfare

of the child in the car. Chief Oliver got the child out of the car, and when he did so the driver got

back into the car and drove away. Chief Oliver then found out that the child was H.T., who was

missing from South Carolina.

12. Video of Chief Oliver and the driver was captured and depicted the driver

wearing a blue shirt. Affiant has reviewed and compared the video from when B.T.'s credit card

was used with the video of THOMAS LAWTON EVANS JR.'s interaction with Chief Oliver.

Both individuals appear to be the same person.

13. Agents obtained a photo of THOMAS LAWTON EVANS JR. from a law

enforcement database. The photo was reviewed by Chief Oliver who confirmed that the photo

3
2:18-mj-00029-MCRI Date Filed 02/15/18 Entry Number 1-1 Page 4 of 4

depicting THOMAS LAWTON EV ANS JR. was the same person he encountered in Riverside,

Alabama.

14. THOMAS LAWTON EVANS JR. is not related to H.T. in any way and does not

have any legal custody of H.T.

CONCLUSION

15. Based on the forgoing, I submit there is probable cause that, from in or about

February 13, 2018, to on or about February 14, 2018, in the District of South Carolina and

elsewhere, THOMAS LAWTON EV ANS JR. unlawfully kidnapped and abducted a person who

had not obtained the age of eighteen and transported that person in interstate commerce,

specifically transported her across state lines, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,

Sections 1201 (a), (g).

This Affidavit has been reviewed by AUSA Nathan Williams.

Respectfully submitted,

Matt Rhue
Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Subscribed and sworn to before me


on February \§ , 2018

Y GORDON BAKER
ATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Potrebbero piacerti anche