16th Circuit Solicitor's Office

08/13/2026

Please join us in welcoming Investigator Steven Daves to the office. He was sworn in today.

Investigator Daves will primarily work in Diversions, assisting with the supervision of Drug Court participants. He joins us with three years of experience supervising offenders with the Department of Probation and Parole. He also brings more than six years of prior law enforcement experience, having served as a uniformed patrol officer with the Clover Police Department.

Please help us welcome Investigator Daves to the team!

08/06/2026

Yesterday, a York County jury found Ryley Morgan Smith guilty of trafficking 14g-28g of fentanyl, first offense, and possession with intent to distribute crack co***ne, first offense. He was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison without the possibility of parole.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Ryley Smith was an occupant in a vehicle stopped on Cureton Ferry Road in Catawba on January 30, 2025. A search of the vehicle was conducted and a little under twenty-five grams of fentanyl and a little over one gram of crack co***ne was found in the trunk of the vehicle. Additionally, Smith had incriminating texts in his cell phone revealing that he was involved in the sale of narcotics.

The jury found Smith guilty after deliberating for about an hour and a half. He was prosecuted by Senior Solicitor Marina Hamilton and Assistant Solicitor William Anderson.

Do not traffic fentanyl in the Sixteenth Circuit.

07/15/2026

34 years after stabbed baby found in Catawba River, SC mother’s conviction upheld

05/21/2026

Yesterday, a York County jury found Devasco Pride guilty of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct in the third degree.

On May 17, 2024, Devasco Pride attempted to take advantage of a sleeping victim who at the time was particularly vulnerable given her health challenges. A search of Pride’s tablet computer revealed incriminating internet search history. He was arrested about a month later and remained incarcerated in pretrial detention until his trial this week.

Assault with the intent to commit criminal sexual conduct in the third degree carries a potential sentence of up to ten paroleable years in prison. Judge William A. McKinnon sentenced Pride to eight years in prison.

Senior Solicitors Hannah Woods and Daniel Porter prosecuted the case.

05/19/2026

She took the money from Horne Label & Printing and spent it on gifts through TikTok, house and car payments and more.

05/19/2026

Thank you Loyd Ardrey and may God speed you home! Rock Hill lost a good man.

Ardrey’s famous sign was stolen in 2005, but he bought another one and kept selling hot dogs at his Rock Hill restaurant.

05/16/2026

It was a great day to be out with friends and family at the Detective Mike Doty Memorial Run!

05/15/2026

This was a brutal and heartbreaking case. With a sentence of fifty years (which must be served day for day), Mondragon will almost certainly die in prison. In the unlikely event he serves that sentence, he will be deported to Mexico upon release from the South Carolina Department of Corrections at age 92.

While he deserves death for what he did to a pregnant mother in front of her eight-year-old son, we offered a plea of thirty to fifty years to spare that child from having to go through a jury trial and endless appeals.

We are thankful for Judge Jane Merrill’s fifty year sentence.

Undocumented immigrant admits killing girlfriend, unborn child in Rock Hill

05/06/2026

Earlier today, a York County jury convicted Larry Shane O'Neal of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, third offense.

Judge William A. McKinnon sentenced O'Neal to ten years in prison without the possibility of parole.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor William Anderson.

04/21/2026

South Carolina leads the nation in people killed by drunk drivers per capita and per highway mile driven, because of our pro-DUI law, and the House is about to let (Full story below.)