FLORENCE, S.C. – A tangled web of violence and illegal gunrunning unraveled in federal court this week, with six men facing significant prison time for their involvement in a brazen robbery and subsequent firearms conspiracy. The case, originating from a shooting at a Florence apartment complex, exposes a network stretching from the Pee Dee region of South Carolina to the streets of Rochester, New York.
The most severe sentence went to Elijah N. Fitts, 23, of Rochester, New York, who received 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. His accomplice, Zion Hezekiah Fitts, 24, also of Rochester, New York, will spend seven years behind bars for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The incident, which unfolded just after midnight on March 29, 2022, began as a supposed marijuana deal gone horribly wrong.
Court evidence detailed how Dorian Javon Godbolt, 24, of Darlington, orchestrated the setup, bringing Harkeem Dewayne Siequan Kennedy, 26, of Florence, into the deal as a seller, fully aware that the Fitts brothers intended to rob him. The deal took place at the passenger window of a car, with Elijah Fitts lurking at the rear. When Kennedy handed over the marijuana, Zion Fitts allegedly pulled a gun and demanded everything. Shots were then fired from both Elijah Fitts and Kennedy, turning a drug deal into a chaotic shootout.
A subsequent search of an apartment linked to the robbers uncovered a cache of firearms, magazines, and ammunition, along with a receipt for a recently purchased weapon. The investigation broadened, revealing a wider conspiracy involving Fanotti Nacier Neal, 21, of Effingham, and Nasir Schifano, 21, of Greece, New York, who were both sentenced to two years in prison for conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license. The pair allegedly purchased weapons in South Carolina, flaunted them on social media, and brokered sales through text messages.
Harkeem Kennedy, who also fired shots during the robbery, received a sentence of two and a half years after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating, “This violent incident has resulted in six defendants spending more than two decades in prison.” ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims added that the sentences send a clear message: “ATF and our law enforcement partners are focused on shutting down illegal firearms sales and preventing those with criminal intent from harming our communities.”
Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler lauded the collaborative effort, stating, “Law enforcement partnerships…are a key element in the fight against violent crime.” United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III handed down the sentences, bringing a degree of closure to a case that highlighted the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking, firearms proliferation, and violent crime in the Florence area. The combined sentences total over twenty years, a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in such criminal activity.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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