And at least five people have identified him as a face in the Charleston cocaine world.

Those were some of the allegations raised by federal authorities during a detention hearing Tuesday …federal authorities alleged that Etcheber flouted the terms of his visa, which allowed him to be in the U.S. on tourist status.

Pascal Etcheber allegedly worked in publishing, might have had tax problems and used cocaine while living here — all violations severe enough to get him sent back to France, government officials contend.

Authorities also said Etcheber was a best friend of another foreign national named in the case, Pasquale Pellicoro, who fled South Carolina after he was indicted and is believed to be living in Europe.

http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/mar/25/suspect_cocaine_case_freed_on_bond76331/

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Demetre/508814022

coterie of friends
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57818128368&ref=mf

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The fourth man arrested in connection with the Thomas Ravenel drug investigation will be released on $250,000 bond with electronic monitoring, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Pascal Andre Etcheber, 45, a French citizen, was indicted last month, accused of knowingly giving fraudulent statements when he was interviewed by FBI and immigration agents in late October 2007.

Etcheber is the fourth person indicted in the scandal. Also named was Ravenel’s drug supplier and another foreign national — Pasquale Pellicoro, a wine expert who reportedly fled to Europe after he was charged. He remains at large.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Carr approved the bond after a 90 minute hearing.

A large part of the defense argument was that Etcheber spent a good portion of last year in a custody battle to keep his young daughter and that he realized that if he became a flight risk, he’d never see her again.

The government fought against bond, saying Etcheber had been a flight risk who was working illegally in the United States on various pursuits when he was here on a tourist visa.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/mar/24/etcheber_released_250000_bond_electronic_monitorin/

South Carolina “trade mission” to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi

A delegation of 24 officials and businessmen from Orangeburg, the US county in which Jafza Americas is developing its $600 million (Dh2.2 billion), 1,324-acre project, is in the UAE on South Carolina state’s first trade mission to the UAE.

The delegation is being led by Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer and includes representatives of state and local governments and businesses.

It also includes members of the South Carolina legislature, officials from Orangeburg County, representatives of one of the state’s largest law firms, it’s largest electric co-operative, and the University of South Carolina.

The names of businesses participating in the mission, that arrived on Friday and will visit both Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the next eight days, are being kept confidential by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, which is facilitating the trip.

However, six of the participating companies are receiving “Gold Key Service” from the US Commercial Service during their stay, meaning they will have a series of meetings set up with potential buyers of their products while in the UAE.

The trip pairs South Carolina businesses and officials with potential trade partners in the UAE, according to Kara Borie, spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce.

Later this year, the department will facilitate trade missions to Poland, Columbia, and two missions to Panama.

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/3/Pages/03232009_d34dbdcceb0d498a866e510bf9b824d5.aspx

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By the way, what is South Carolins going to be trading with Dubai? OIL?

I know, we can trade chicken wings for oil?

How about Columbia and Panama? What does Columbia export? Legally?

NOTHING!

(not enough China in the bag)

says Grady Patterson, former State Treasurer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL5h3a_wE2M

WATCH VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELhgDjrSltQ

BOY! WAS HE WRONG!

IT’S A GOOD THING HE WASN”T THE STATE TREASURER FOR VERY LONG!