Seven members and one associate of the Cowboys, a violent street gang that originated near Walterboro and who have committed crimes across the Lowcountry, were sentenced this week in federal court in Charleston.
The defendants were convicted earlier this year and were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tameaka A. Legette from the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office and trial attorney Leshia Lee-Dixon of the U.S. Justice Department Organized Crime and Gang Section from Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Court Judge David C. Norton sentenced Khiry Broughton, aka “KBlacka,” to 108 months in federal prison; Clyde Naquan Hampton, aka “One Loyal Shooter,” to 151 months in prison; Zaquann Ernest Hampton, aka “TOB,” to 84 months in prison; Matthew Rashaun Jones, aka “Boogie Mac,” to 151 months in prison; Bryant Jameek Davis, aka “Savo,” to time served; Christopher Sean Brown, aka “Roughish,” to 108 months in prison; William Lamont Cox, aka “Wataz,” to time served; and Quintin Fishburne to time served. All were sentenced to three years of supervised release, as well.
Khiry Broughton, Clyde Naquan Hampton, Matthew Rashuan Jones and William Lamont Cox were each convicted of conspiracy under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Orgaizations Act. Bryant Jameek Davis, Quintin Fishburne, Zaquann Ernest Hampton and Christopher Sean Brown were each convicted of attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Clyde Naquann Hampton and Zaquann Ernest Hampton are from Summerville. Matthew Rashaun Jones is from Cottageville. Khiry Broughton, Bryant Jameek Davis, Quintin Fishburne, and Christopher Sean Brown are from Walterboro, and William Lamont Cox is from Round O.
According to the their plea agreements, all eight defendants were members or associates of the Cowboys. Members of that gang show their allegiance by wearing red, white and blue clothing, and by carrying rags of these colors, including depictions of the American flag. Further, members of the Cowboys greet each other and show their membership in the gang using a set of hand-signs intended to evoke the shape of a “b.” This hand sign also shows an affiliation with the “Bloods” gang. Members of the Cowboys also show allegiance to the gang by having the words “Cowboy(s)” or “GMC” tattooed to some part of their body.
The Cowboys gang was also, for a time, aligned with another violent street gang called the “Wildboys,” which originated in the Green Pond area of Colleton County. In addition to sharing a common interest in posting threats, firearms, large amounts of cash and what purported to be narcotics on Facebook and YouTube. Cowboys and Wildboys shared common enemies. These shared interests resulted in shootings aimed at rival gang members, which seriously injured innocent bystanders.
According to his plea agreement, Broughton was sentenced for his role as leader of the Cowboys. In addition, Broughton and Fishburne were sentenced for their roles in a Nov. 6, 2015, attempted murder. Broughton, along with co-defendants Dashawn Brown and Quintin Fishburne, attended a drag race outside of Walterboro. After bets were placed, Broughton questioned the results of the race and demanded the winnings, which were held by one of the race drivers. Broughton decided to rob the winner of the race and in so doing retrieved a backpack containing firearms from Fishburne’s vehicle.
Broughton provided the firearms to members of the Cowboys. After the winner refused to provide the money, the winner and another innocent bystander were shot and severely injured. After the shooting occurred, Fishburne drove Broughton and Brown from the scene to avoid apprehension by the police.
Clyde Naquan Hampton was sentenced for his role in a July 6, 2010 shooting aimed at individuals Hampton believed had disrespected him. After throwing up the “b” sign and shouting allegiance to the Cowboys, Hampton fired several shots toward the victims.
Hampton also was sentenced for his role in a July 12, 2010, shooting aimed at a rival gang member. Shell casings recovered from the scene indicated the firearm Hampton used was the same as that used in the July 6, 2010, shooting. Hampton was also sentenced for his role in the May 30, 2013, drive-by shooting aimed at rival gang members. Hampton was the driver of this vehicle while two other members of the Cowboys, Matthew Rashuan Jones and Christopher Sean Brown, fired multiple shots at the residence where they believed rival gang members allegedly lived.
Matthew Rashaun Jones was sentenced for his role in a May 12, 2011 drive-by shooting aimed at a person he believed was a member of a rival gang. Jones, a passenger in the vehicle, along with Dashawn Trevell Brown, fired multiple shots at the individual. Jones was also sentenced for his role in a May 30, 2013, drive-by shooting aimed at rival gang members. While riding in a vehicle driven by Clyde Naquann Hampton, Jones and Christopher Sean Brown fired multiple shots at the residence.
Bryant Jameek Davis was sentenced for his role in a Sept. 28, 2014, shooting in Walterboro. Davis exchanged words with an individual believed to be a member of a rival gang. He then fired at least two shots at the victim, striking him in the neck and clavicle resulting in serious bodily injury.
William Lamont Cox was sentenced for his role in the distribution of various amounts of controlled substances, including crack cocaine, from July 30, 2015, to Oct. 15, 2015. Cox used members of the Cowboys to assist in protecting and selling the narcotics.
Zaquann Ernest Hampton was sentenced for his role in the Oct. 28, 2012, robbery that resulted in a shooting of the victim. Hampton, and other associates of the Cowboys gang, placed an order of marijuana from the victim. When the victim arrived, Hampton and his associates, tried to rob the victim, and in so doing, brandished and discharged a firearm that resulted in serious bodily injury.
Christopher Sean Brown was sentenced for his role in the May 30, 2013, drive-by shooting aimed at members of a rival gang. Brown, and Jones, who were passengers in a vehicle driven by Clyde Naquann Hampton, fired multiple shots in the residence they believed was occupied by members of the rival gang.
As part of the sentence, Khiry Broughton, Clyde Naquann Hampton, Matthew Rashaun Jones, and William Lamont Cox were ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release and to pay the costs of medical care for the victims who received medical care as a result of the injuries. Zaquann Ernest Hampton, Bryant Jameek Davis, Quintin Fishburne, and Christopher Sean Brown were ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release and pay the costs of medical care for those victims injured as a result of the crime.
Dashawn Trevell Brown, a member of the Cowboys, who pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15.
The cases were investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Charleston, in partnership with the Walterboro Police Department; Colleton County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Summerville Police Department; Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; First Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge C.J. Hyman of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Charlotte Field Division; Solicitor Duffie Stone of the 14th Judicial Circuit; Solicitor David Pascoe of the First Circuit; Sheriff R.A. Strickland of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office; Chief Wade Marvin of the Walterboro Police Department; Sheriff Al Cannon Jr. of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff L. C. Knight of the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Chief Jon Rogers of the Summerville Police Department; Director Jerry Adger of the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and Chief Mark Keel of SLED announced the sentences Nov. 29, 2017.
