Charleston, South Carolina — Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Orlando Shalrocko King, 32, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful travel to incite destructive riots in downtown Charleston on May 30, 2020, as well as a possession of a firearm by a prohibited felon.
“Last summer’s riots were a dark day in Charleston’s history,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “Prison time is appropriate in this case and sends a message that this behavior will not be tolerated in South Carolina.”
Information presented to the court established that, during a large riot following the death of George Floyd, numerous suspects including King forced entry into the College Market store in downtown Charleston. The looters stole approximately $80,000 in store merchandise and shattered the store windows.
King filmed, narrated, and livestreamed the looting on his Facebook page. At one point of the video, King yelled, “We’re in the corner store! Stealing sh*t!” In another part of the video, King announced that he was searching the store for Angry Orchard. The video showed that, after stealing a 6-pack of Angry Orchard hard cider, King left the store and stated, “We just broke into the corner store and I got my Angry Orchard, ya’ll know I love my sh*t.”
Evidence presented to the court further showed that, just after midnight on April 25, 2020, North Charleston Police officers were attempting to locate a firearm that was discarded during a vehicle pursuit. While officers were canvassing the area of Read Street for the gun, they were advised of a disturbance that possibly involved a firearm. During the investigation of the disturbance, officers encountered King, whom they recognized from a Facebook live video he posted showing him firing a gun outside a driver’s side car window.
King continually frequented the area on several occasions, while the officers were attempting to locate the missing firearm. When officers contacted King, he became uncooperative and attempted to get away. Officers noticed an item in King’s jacket pocket that appeared to be the shape of a grip of a handgun. King was then placed in handcuffs, and a Sig Sauer 9mm caliber pistol with an extended magazine with 27 rounds of ammunition was recovered.
A National Crime Information Center (NCIC) inquiry revealed that the recovered gun was reported stolen. Further, it was discovered that the defendant was prohibited from possessing a gun due to a 2008-Armed Robbery conviction.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced King to 24 months imprisonment to be followed by 36 months of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
King is the fourth of six defendants to be sentenced on federal charges stemming from participation of actions including arson, inciting riots, and other civil disorder in Columbia and Charleston on May 30 and 31, 2020.
The case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, Charleston Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Numerous other local police departments and Solicitors’ Offices across the states have also assisted in the investigations of civil unrest in May 2020.
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Nathan Williams prosecuted the case.
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Dylann Storm Roof
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