news in brief

4 face drug charges

An investigation at a Cayce motel led to 4 drug arrests last week.

According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon:

• Anthony Joseph Calvanese, 30, was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and meth.

• Danielle Lawson, 29, was charged with possession of meth.

• William Bryan Owens, 34, was charged with trafficking meth 28 grams to 100 grams, unlawfully carrying a pistol, possession of a stolen pistol and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

• K-Leigh Analisa Marie Taca, 26, was charged with possession of a schedule IV substance.

“Lawson and Owens were arrested Tuesday during a traffic stop in the 3900 block of Platt Springs Road,” Sheriff Koon said.

“Based on information obtained during the traffic stop, the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted surveillance at the Masters Inn in Cayce.”

Calvanese, a resident of West Palm Beach, FL, is being held in the Lexington County Detention Center.

Lawson, Owens and Taca live in Lexington and have been released on bond.

Gaston man gets prison for assault

A Gaston man has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for assaulting a Lexington County Detention Center guard.

Joshua Travis Ross-man, 23, pled guilty to 1st degree assault and battery Wednesday, June 19 for assaulting a correctional officer while in the Lexington County Detention Center on unrelated charges, according to the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Rossman was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge William P. Keesley to 8 years followed by 3 years of probation.

On January 5, 2019, while at the Detention Center, Rossman engaged in a verbal altercation with a correctional officer who was in the process of locking down the pod. Rossman subsequently hit the officer in the face with a closed fist. In an effort to retreat, the officer left the area only to be pursued by Rossman who then hit the officer again. The officer eventually fell to the ground motionless. Rossman then took the officer’s Taser and pointed it at another officer who was attempting to provide assistance. After a brief standoff, Rossman surrendered, but continued his aggressive behavior. Ross-man was eventually placed in a restraint chair.

The officer sustained serious fractures to his knee and ankle as a result of the attack.

25 years for Lexington County armed robbery

Jaren Bernard-Alan Meyers, 19, of Gaston, pled guilty to armed robbery, two counts of kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge William P Keesley to 25 years in prison.

On Dec. 30, 2017, Meyers along with two other individuals committed a string of armed robberies in Lexington and Richland County. That night, they robbed the Dollar General on Charleston Highway. The investigation determined Meyers was the person carrying the gun and giving verbal commands to 2 of the employees. One of the other individuals grabbed the money from the register and a third individual was the driver. The victims were able to provide law enforcement with a vehicle description and tag number. The group later went on to commit robberies at the Exxon on Elm-wood in Richland County, the Waffle House on Sunset Blvd in West Columbia, and the McDonalds on Garners Ferry Road.

Law enforcement from multiple agencies quickly determined they were dealing with the same group of people because the vehicle description and tag number were consistent in the robberies. Prior to this night, Meyers was also involved in two other robberies in Lexington County with a fourth individual on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26.

The vehicle used on the night of Dec. 30 was registered to Sugarhill Lane in Gaston. Law enforcement positioned themselves at exit 119 off I-26. They fortunately observed the vehicle taking the exit and a high speed pursuit followed. When the vehicle stopped, two individuals ran from the vehicle. Law enforcement was able to apprehend one of the individuals that night.