C & D co-owner Charlene Corley, 46, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering and pleaded guilty to both Thursday. A sentencing date has not been set.

She was accused of bilking taxpayers by inflating shipping costs for Defense Department materials that cost a few dollars.

In one example, C & D collected $998,798 to ship two 19-cent bolt washers, court documents show.

Corley’s twin sister, Darlene Wooten, shot herself Oct. 2 after Defense Department investigators confronted her with evidence of a nine-year scheme that included billing the Pentagon for $71.6 million in shipping costs.

“We consider the investigation ongoing,” McDonald said. “If it’s appropriate to add charges, that is something that will be done.”

The way you can get your sentence reduced in the federal system is to plead guilty and to give substantial assistance (to authorities),” said longtime Columbia criminal defense lawyer Jack Swerling.

In South Carolina last fiscal year, the average drug trafficking sentence was about 11 years, compared to seven years nationwide.

Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Anderson, who is presiding over Ravenel’s and Miller’s cases, has a reputation for fairness and staying within the guidelines, Strom said.

“Our judges stick to the guidelines,” he said.

If convicted of the state charge, Miller faces a prison term of three to 10 years and a fine of $25,000. Under state law, no part of the prison sentence may be suspended and no probation can be given.

Dark souls indeed.