|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In the early morning hours of Thursday (June 5, 2025), a multi-agency law enforcement operation in Beaufort County, South Carolina led to the arrest of five individuals — three of whom now face federal charges following the unsealing of a nine-page indictment.
According to a press advisory from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), the coordinated effort involved federal and local agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and several South Carolina and Georgia law enforcement units. Arrest and search warrants were executed at properties on Logwood Path and Eastern Road in Burton.
Arrested on federal charges were:
- William Omar Heyward Jr., 44, of Burton
- Ishmael Allen Rivers, 26, of Yemassee
- Christopher Andrew Copeland, 26, of Beaufort
Two others — Katie Shannon Bradham, 37, and Lindel Hugh Bonney III, 34, both of Beaufort — were arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants and are being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
***
***
FEDERAL CHARGES: DRUGS AND GUNS
The federal indictment (.pdf) – filed under seal on May 14, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina – charged Heyward, Rivers and Copeland with multiple counts related to firearms and drug trafficking offenses. Central to the indictment are allegations that the three conspired to possess and intended to distribute controlled substances — including fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), methamphetamine and marijuana — and that they possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities.
Each defendant faces potential mandatory minimum sentences if convicted on the drug and firearms offenses, particularly given the quantities and types of drugs involved and the presence of firearms.
Both Heyward and Rivers have been involved in a prior high-profile criminal case in Beaufort County.
In December 2016, Heyward and Rivers were arrested in connection with the murder of 61-year old Benjamin Campbell who was found on the side of Stanley Farm Road in Burton, S.C. Rivers was charged with murder and weapons offenses, while Heyward was charged as an accessory after the fact.
***
Rivers’ case went to trial in April 2021, where he was found not guilty on all charges. Heyward’s charge was ultimately dismissed via nolle prosequi — a formal abandonment of the prosecution by the solicitor’s office.
While both men walked free in that case, their names are now again tied to a multi-agency investigation involving large quantities of deadly narcotics and firearms.
The case reflects broader concerns about the increasing intersection of firearms, drug trafficking, and violent crime in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
As of Thursday, all individuals taken into custody were arrested without incident.The FBI is leading the ongoing investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is expected to prosecute the case. Initial court appearances for the federally charged defendants will take place in U.S. District Court in Charleston.
As with all criminal cases, all parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court or until they strike a plea deal that includes an admission of guilt.
***
THE INDICTMENT…
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
