Backlog Breaker? Attorney General’s New Crime Unit Scores First Win

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South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson announced the first in-trial conviction secured by the state’s new Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit (VCCRU), a specialized team dedicated to helping prosecutors tackle South Carolina’s ballooning backlog of violent crime cases.

The unit’s first conviction came last week in Sumter County, where a jury found 43-year-old Jason Edward Barnes guilty of murdering his roommate, 51-year-old Richard “Ricky” Preusser, in August 2022.

Before addressing this new initiative from the Palmetto State’s top prosecutor, here is a brief overview of its first successful conviction at trial…

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THE CRIME…

On August 19, 2022, deputies with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) responded to a call about an unresponsive male who had allegedly overdosed on drugs. What was initially billed as an accidental death quickly escalated into a homicide investigation when first responders discovered Preusser had been shot in the chest.

Barnes, who had recently moved into the home owned by Preusser, initially gave investigators a false name. When confronted, he fled the scene – only to be apprehended the following day. A search of the area later turned up a revolver — brought by Barnes from the West Coast just two weeks earlier — and a cellphone recovered by a police K-9.

Data from the phone revealed disturbing details about Barnes’ mindset and his efforts to recover the weapon before law enforcement. Barnes was arrested and formally charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime on August 21, 2022.

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On June 26, 2025, a Sumter County jury convicted Barnes on both counts. S.C. circuit court judge J. Ferrell Cothran Jr. sentenced him to 38 years in prison on the murder charge plus an additional five years on the weapons charge – with the sentences to run concurrently.

The case was prosecuted by assistant attorneys general Angela Tanner and Chris Scalzo of the VCCRU. The investigation was led by SCSO in partnership with state-level special investigators.

“These first pleas and trials are the beginning of what will be many cases our Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit will close to bring justice to crime victims in South Carolina,” Wilson said following the verdict.

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A GROWING CRISIS IN SOUTH CAROLINA COURTS

Wilson launched the VCCRU in 2024 to assist solicitor’s offices overwhelmed by thousands of pending violent crime cases. The urgency of the effort is underscored by alarming court data.

According to the Palmetto State’s judicial branch, 179,119 general sessions cases were pending (.pdf) at the close of the last fiscal year. That marks an 8.2 percent increase from five years earlier, when the pending caseload stood at 165,524. Despite slight improvements in some circuits, statewide case processing remains sluggish.

Only two counties — Saluda and McCormick — within South Carolina’s sixteen judicial circuits were meeting the state benchmark of resolving 80 percent of pending general sessions cases within 365 days, as of May 2025. That benchmark is widely viewed as a baseline for efficient case flow management. Among the worst-performing circuits were the 6th and 3rd — with just 35 percent and 36 percent of cases meeting the benchmark, respectively.

Of interest? Saluda and McCormick ranked No. 40 and No. 45, respectively, among South Carolina’s 46 counties in terms of their current estimated populations.

Meanwhile, counties like Richland, Greenville, Lexington, Charleston, Spartanburg, and Horry — South Carolina’s most populous — continued to see dramatic increases in pending caseloads. Richland County alone ended the last fiscal year with 14,352 pending cases, up from just over 9,000 five years ago.

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Victims’ advocates and law enforcement leaders have long warned that delayed prosecutions not only deny justice to victims – but also embolden repeat offenders and undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.

In creating the VCCRU, Wilson’s office assumed responsibility for over 180 violent crime cases across multiple circuits. Within six months, more than 10 percent of those cases had either been resolved or had bench warrants issued.

That’s a promising start — but still just a small dent in the state’s massive backlog.

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR VCCRU?

Wilson’s office has not released a full list of the circuits or counties where the VCCRU is currently operating, but future updates are expected as the team tackles more cases. The unit includes prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, law clerks, and paralegals who collaborate with local sheriff’s offices and solicitors to expedite case resolution.

As the VCCRU expands its footprint, many in the legal community will be watching closely to see whether it can provide a scalable model for addressing South Carolina’s violent crime crisis — or whether systemic court delays will continue to outpace prosecutorial resources.

FITSNews will continue to track developments in the VCCRU and broader judicial efficiency efforts across the state.

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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.

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