FLORENCE, S.C. – In a case that showcases the darker side of human nature, six thugs have been sentenced to prison time for their roles in a violent robbery scheme.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Elijah N. Fitts, a 23-year-old from Rochester, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. His brother, Zion Hezekiah Fitts, 24, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Dorian Javon Godbolt, 24, of Darlington, S.C., was sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting robbery. Harkeem Dewayne Siequan Kennedy, 26, of Florence, S.C., was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Fanotti Nacier Neal, 21, of Effingham, S.C., was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license. Nasir Schifano, 21, of Greece, New York, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the same charge.
The evidence presented to the court showed that the defendants were involved in a robbery and firearms scheme that went horribly wrong. On March 29, 2022, officers with the Florence Police Department responded to a shooting at an apartment complex in Florence. Investigators learned that Godbolt had arranged for Kennedy to come to the apartment complex to sell marijuana to Elijah Fitts and his brother, Zion Fitts, who planned to rob Kennedy. The deal went sour, and shots were fired. Several witnesses reported shots coming from the rear of the car, where Elijah Fitts was standing.
After obtaining information indicating that the robbers came from a particular apartment, law enforcement executed a search warrant at that apartment. Inside, they found several of those charged, a number of firearms, magazines, ammunition, and a receipt for the purchase of a firearm. Further investigation showed that Neal, Schifano, and others were involved in a conspiracy to deal in firearms without a federal firearms license.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs said, “This violent incident has resulted in six defendants spending more than two decades in prison. Outstanding investigative work, led by the Florence Police Department and ATF, has made this community safer.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims added, “The individuals sentenced throughout this case were responsible for a number of violent crimes and sought to put more firearms in the hands of prohibited individuals. 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 said, “We want to take this opportunity to thank our federal law enforcement partners for the indictment of these violent offenders and their subsequent guilty pleas. Law enforcement partnerships, as evidenced here, are a key element in the fight against violent crime.”
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced all six individuals. The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of gun violence and the importance of law enforcement partnerships in keeping our communities safe.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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