SC Preacher Sentenced for SC Ponzi Scheme Now Faces Gun Charges

A preacher for an Aynor Baptist Church could face criminal gun charges after attempting to bring a gun into a federal courthouse where he was scheduled to receive his sentence for conducting a Ponzi scheme.

Reportedly, US Marshalls found the gun inside a bag that Archie LaRue Evans, 43, attempted to bring inside the McMillan Federal Building in Florence before his sentencing hearing on Ponzi scheme charges, which he pleaded guilty to last January. Evans is now expected to face gun charges for being a felon in possession of a weapon, which is also a serious federal charge.

If convicted on the gun charge, he could face an additional 10 years in prison. Evans was sentenced to 7 years in prison on the federal Ponzi scheme charges. He was also ordered to pay $3.7 million in restitution. He was taken into federal custody after the Ponzi scheme sentencing hearing.

Evans was arraigned on  SC ponzi scheme charges in August 2012, when he paid a $25,000 bond and has been free until now. He faced two felony charges for related to a Ponzi scheme he created and used to defraud his parishioners and others, leading to $2.5 million lost in investments in Evans’ Gold & Silver LLC.

Reportedly, Evans told investors that they would receive 10 to 12% in interest payments quarterly for their investment in his company. He founded the Ponzi scheme company in 2004, and defrauded his investors until October 2011. He either spent the money or lost it on bad investments, but prepared false investment statements to make it appear to his investors as though the business were doing very well. The false business statements were then used to encourage others to invest in his Ponzi scheme business.

At the time of his federal charges trial, Evans also faced a civil lawsuit involving three loans of $1.45 million he made to his wife between August 2009 and February 2011.

During his Ponzi scheme trial, Evans attempted to rescind his guilty plea twice. He reportedly represented himself, after firing two lawyers over two years. He originally pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal with prosecutors to drop other federal charges, which included one charge of mail fraud, and one charge of structuring financial transactions to evade bank reporting requirements.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help With Federal Charges, Including Indictments for Ponzi Schemes

The federal criminal defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC will fight to protect your rights and your personal and professional future.

Whether you are charged with:

• a computer crime
• mail fraud, wire fraud, or bank fraud,
• a RICO violation
• a drug crime,
• tax fraud
• making a false statement to a federal agent,

or any other Federal charge, you are likely facing a personal, family, social, business, and/or financial crisis unlike any you have ever faced before.

For experienced criminal defense attorneys who will fight for your rights and work to have your charges reduced or even dismissed, contact the federal charges attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, today. We offer a no-cost, confidential consultation to discuss our experience and knowledge of the system can help you. 803.252.4800