Pee Dee men among 6 sentenced to federal prison on robbery, gun charges

FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) – A group of Pee Dee men were among those sentenced to federal prison on robbery and gun charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the following local men were convicted in the scheme:

• Dorian Javon Godbolt, 24, of Darlington, was sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.
• Harkeem Dewayne Siequan Kennedy, 26, of Florence, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Fanotti Nacier Neal, 21, of Effingham, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell firearms without a license.

Three New York men involved in the scheme were also sentenced Tuesday:

• Elijah N. Fitts, 23, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
• Zion Hezekiah Fitts, 24, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
• Nasir Schifano, 21, of Greece, New York, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell firearms without a license.

Prosecutors say the convictions all stem from a March 2022 incident at a Florence apartment complex. Police went to an apartment complex, where investigators learned that Goldbolt arranged for Kennedy to come to the complex and sell Elijah Fitts and Zion Fitts a quantity of marijuana, knowing that they intended to steal it.

While Kennedy was giving Zion Fitts marijuana, prosecutors said Fitts then pulled a gun out of his hoodie, pointed it at Kennedy and told him to “give him everything.” Shots then began to be fired, with witnesses reporting gunshots coming from the back of the car where Elijah Fitts was standing. Kennedy also fired shots.

Police then obtained a search warrant for the warrant Zion Fitts and Elijah Fitts came from. Prosecutors said law enforcement found several of the people charged with firearms, magazines, ammunition and a recipient for the purchase of a firearm. Further investigation revealed that Neal, Schifano and others were involved in a conspiracy to sell firearms without a federal firearms license.

Prosecutors said those involved would buy guns in South Carolina, display them in videos on social media and negotiate terms of sale via text messages before selling them.

Officials added that Neal's prison term would be followed by an 18-month period of court-ordered supervision. The prison sentences for Kennedy, Godbolt and Schifano will be followed by sentences of three years of court supervision. The prison sentences of E. Fitts and Z. Fitts will be followed by sentences of five years of judicial supervision.

Federal officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florence Police Department investigated the case.

Several officials also provided statements on the convictions:

“This violent incident led to six defendants spending more than two decades in prison. Exceptional investigative work by the Florence Police Department and ATF has made this community safer.

“The individuals convicted in this case were responsible for a number of violent crimes and sought to put more firearms into the hands of prohibited individuals. The ATF and our law enforcement partners work to stop illegal firearm sales and prevent people with criminal intent from harming our communities.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our federal law enforcement partners for the indictment of these violent offenders and their subsequent guilty pleas. Law enforcement partnerships, as demonstrated here, are a key part of combating violent crime. This is another warning to violent offenders: Florence area law enforcement, from the federal level to the local level, will continue their collaborative efforts to bring them to justice.

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