South-Carolina
‘False Hope’: Prosecutors Blast South Carolina’s New Fentanyl Homicide Bill – FITSNews
A coalition of South Carolina solicitors is speaking out against a recently passed fentanyl homicide statute, warning it offers little real help in combating the deadly opioid crisis ravaging communities across the Palmetto State.
In a sharply worded statement released by the office of S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor Duffie Stone – and signed by eleven other elected solicitors – the Palmetto State’s new “fentanyl-induced homicide” bill was blasted as ineffective, difficult to enforce and ultimately misleading for the victims’ families it was meant to empower.
“The recently passed fentanyl-induced homicide law … fails to provide prosecutors any real tools,” Stone wrote in the letter (.pdf). “It will be rarely used.”
In contrast to the “crucial first step” taken by lawmakers in 2023 with the passage of a fentanyl trafficking bill, the new legislation – S. 156 – “ensures the status quo,” prosecutors claimed.
“Under no circumstances will it be the game-changer some are touting it to be,” Stone wrote. “Unfortunately, it will give grieving parents false hope of holding drug pushers responsible for their kills.”
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Passed by both chambers of the General Assembly – and currently awaiting the signature of governor Henry McMaster (a former attorney general and U.S. attorney) – the bill creates a new felony homicide offense for those who “knowingly provide” fentanyl that leads to someone’s death.
“Though the statute has other problems, the use of the word ‘knowingly’ will make it nearly impossible to prove,” Stone asserted in the letter.
According to him and his fellow prosecutors, criminals who claim they believed they were selling heroin or OxyContin “will be a standard defense.” Also, Stone and the solicitors referenced the glut of counterfeit pills pressed to mimic legitimate pharmaceuticals.
“Pills pressed with fake logos and false identifiers will provide an instant defense,” they wrote.
Instead of what they describe as an empty gesture, the solicitors are asking the S.C. General Assembly to pass legislation they believe would have real impact: a state-level Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law along with a comprehensive anti-gang statute.
“To stop the infiltration of fentanyl, we must stop the organizations that are distributing it,” Stone said. “There are manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors getting this substance into our communities. We can stop them with a state RICO and gang law.”
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RELATED | SOUTH CAROLINA SEES ‘FENTANYL SURGE’
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South Carolina remains one of the few states without its own RICO statute — a powerful prosecutorial tool that allows authorities to indict entire criminal enterprises, rather than taking down one defendant at a time.
“Without this tool, we must piecemeal prosecutions,” Stone said, “charging and prosecuting individuals for individual acts without being able to show the jury their over-arching criminal scheme.”
A gang enforcement bill – S. 76 – is currently pending before the legislature. Prosecutors say its passage could mark a turning point in the fight against organized drug distribution in South Carolina.
“Unlike the current fentanyl homicide law, its passage would be a game changer,” Stone wrote.
The letter was signed by solicitors from 11 of South Carolina’s sixteen circuits — including several from districts that have seen devastating impacts from fentanyl trafficking in recent years. Among its signatories: David Pascoe (first circuit); Bill Weeks (second circuit); Mike Burch (fourth circuit); Byron Gipson (fifth circuit); Randy Newman (sixth circuit); Barry Barnett (seventh circuit); David Stumbo (eighth circuit); Scarlett Wilson (ninth circuit); Rick Hubbard (eleventh circuit); Jimmy Richardson (fifteenth circuit); and Kevin Brackett (sixteenth circuit).
The solicitors’ statement reflected growing frustration within the prosecutorial community regarding its struggles to keep up with the scale and complexity of the fentanyl crisis. Overdose deaths in South Carolina — many linked to counterfeit pills and illicit drug trafficking networks — have surged in recent years, prompting calls for stronger enforcement tools at the state level.
Whether the S.C. General Assembly will advance the kind of legislation prosecutors say is necessary — such as a state RICO statute or gang enforcement bill — remains to be seen. But with fentanyl continuing to devastate communities across the Palmetto State, lawmakers face mounting pressure to move beyond symbolic gestures and deliver laws with real impact.
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THE LETTER…
(S.C. Fourteenth Judicial Circuit)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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South-Carolina
South Carolina Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 10, 2026
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing
16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from March 10 drawing
Midday: 7-8-3, FB: 4
Evening: 6-9-0, FB: 0
Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from March 10 drawing
Midday: 3-7-7-1, FB: 4
Evening: 1-3-5-8, FB: 0
Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 10 drawing
Midday: 07
Evening: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from March 10 drawing
04-05-06-07-11
Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:
For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.
Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.
SC Education Lottery
P.O. Box 11039
Columbia, SC 29211-1039
For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.
Columbia Claims Center
1303 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.
For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.
When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.
South-Carolina
Source: Lamont Paris returning to South Carolina next season
NOTE: The above video is a livestream of WIS featuring current newscasts, Soda City Living and Gray Media’s Local News Live.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Lamont Paris will remain the head coach for South Carolina men’s basketball next season.
A source confirmed to WIS that Paris will return for his fifth season at the helm.
The Gamecocks have gone 62-67 under Paris, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2023-24 season. In the two seasons since, however, South Carolina has gone 12-20 and 13-18, respectively.
Paris’s tenure has also included a 23-49 record against the SEC as of Tuesday.
The Gamecocks will face Oklahoma on Wednesday in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Nashville. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. The game will also be televised on the SEC Network.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.
Copyright 2026 WIS. All rights reserved.
South-Carolina
Alexander brothers convicted of sex trafficking in Manhattan federal court
NEW YORK — Three brothers, including two of the nation’s most successful luxury real estate brokers, were convicted of sex trafficking Monday after a five-week trial over accusations that they drugged and raped scores of women they had dazzled with their wealth and opulent lifestyle.
The verdict came after 11 women testified in Manhattan federal court they were sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers: twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 38, and Tal Alexander, 39. All three shook their heads as the jury foreperson said “guilty” 19 straight times, a powerful reckoning that could put them behind bars for the rest of their lives.
Tal Alexander dropped his head into his crossed arms. Their stunned parents sat in the gallery behind them. Alon Alexander’s wife shielded her face with her hand and appeared to fight back tears.
Judge Valerie E. Caproni set sentencing for Aug. 6. The brothers, jailed since their 2024 arrests, will appeal the verdict, their lawyers said.
“We believe in our clients’ innocence and we’re not going to stop fighting until we prevail, and we believe that we will one day prevail,” defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said outside the courthouse.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton lauded the verdict as vindication for victims of crimes that often go unreported and unpunished.
“The truth is sex trafficking and other federal sex offenses are present in many walks of life and we have not done enough to root it out,” Clayton said in a statement.
Dozens of women say they were drugged and assaulted
The verdict represented a spectacular fall for Oren and Tal Alexander, once known as real estate’s “A Team” for their high-ticket sales and celebrity clientele. After smashing sales records at industry powerhouse Douglas Elliman, the brothers started their own firm. Alon Alexander ran their family’s private security company.
Victims testified that they met the brothers at nightclubs, parties and on dating apps, and were attacked after accepting their invitations to all-expense paid getaways to the Hamptons; Aspen, Colorado; and a Caribbean cruise. More than 60 women say they were raped by one or more of the brothers, according to prosecutors.
Defense lawyers suggested the accusers had faulty memories or were hoping to cash in on the brothers’ fortunes. The brothers were womanizers, their lawyers conceded. But they insisted any sex was consensual.
In addition to the top charges, Alon and Tal Alexander were also convicted of sex trafficking of a minor while Alon and Oren Alexander were convicted of aggravated sexual abuse by force or intoxicant and sexual abuse of a physically incapacitated person. Oren Alexander was also convicted of sexually exploiting a minor after prosecutors showed the jury a video he recorded of himself appearing to assault a drugged 17-year-old.
Lawsuits expose an open secret in the real estate world
Besides the criminal case, the brothers have faced about two dozen lawsuits over the last two years, including one filed last week in which Tracy Tutor, a star of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” alleges Oren Alexander drugged and assaulted her while she was in New York City for a real estate event.
When the first of the lawsuits were filed, multiple women came forward claiming they had also been assaulted, and that the brothers’ misconduct had been an open secret in the real estate world. The government took notice and opened a criminal case.
During the trial, many women who testified said they believed the brothers had spiked their drinks. Some described feeling like they’d lost control of their bodies.
One woman testified that she met the brothers in 2012 at a party at actor Zac Efron’s Manhattan apartment. She said she had almost no interaction with the actor, who was not accused of any misdeeds, and went to a nightclub later in the night before waking up naked with a nude Alon Alexander standing over her.
“I don’t want to have sex with you,” she testified telling him. “Haha, you already did,” she recalled him snapping back as he “laughed in my face.”
Testimony challenges claim that money drove allegations
Prosecutors pushed back against the idea that the accusers were hoping to cash in on lawsuits. Only two have lawsuits pending, prosecutor Elizabeth Espinosa told jurors, and both are wealthy.
One woman who testified said she was raped by Alon Alexander in Aspen, Colorado, in 2017, when she was 17. She said she was the daughter of a billionaire.
“I don’t want their money. I just don’t want them to have it,” she told jurors.
Lindsey Acree, an artist and gallery owner, testified she was raped by Tal Alexander and another man at a home in the Hamptons in 2011 after taking a drink that left her feeling paralyzed.
The woman said she sued last year even though she will “never need their money” because the Alexanders “kept calling us gold diggers, shake down artists, con artists.”
“If there’s a kid with a stick who keeps hitting people, you take their stick away,” she told the jury. “Money is their stick, so you take it away so they can’t hurt people anymore.”
The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly, as Acree and Tutor have done.
Copyright 2026 NPR
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