By Michael Smith
Editor

A North Augusta man charged in the Murphy Village racketeering case is facing additional charges and bond revocation after an altercation in Edgefield County, according to court records.

Johnny M. Sherlock, 54, of North Augusta, has been charged with assault and battery, second degree; and malicious injury to animals, personal property, injury value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, the Edgefield County Public Index states.

The charges were filed Sept. 21. Bond was set at $8,000 for both charges, which the suspect posted, Edgefield County court records state.

Sherlock, however, faces bond revocation in pending proceedings in federal court.

He’s among 21 co-defendants pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering stemming from the August 2016 raid of Murphy Village, an Irish Traveler community. Sherlock’s bond in that case was set at $25,000.

Federal court records filed last week state Sherlock’s arrest in Edgefield County places him in violation of that bond.

According to federal court records, the suspect was involved in a recent altercation. Court documents state the suspect, while driving near his home, used his vehicle to force a vehicle driven by a relative off the road.

Click here to read the filing in its entirety.

The filing goes on to state the suspect and four others exited their vehicle brandishing baseball bats. They struck the victim’s vehicle, causing damage to the entire vehicle, court papers state.

“The defendant claims [the victim] hit his son with his vehicle, which started the altercation,” the bond revocation request states. “Both parties stated the altercation was a result of a family disagreement. This officer has a video tape of the altercation should Your Honor wishes to view the video tape.”

U.S. Judge J. Michelle Childs signed a summons for the defendant to appear for a bond violation hearing. A date for the hearing had not been set as of Oct. 2.

Twenty-one defendants were charged last year in a racketeering raid targeting Murphy Village, an Irish Traveler community located along the Aiken and Edgefield county lines.

The suspects were charged with various fraud and racketeering charges involving mail and wire fraud related to life insurance applications, loan applications, as well as fraud related to government benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid, and tax refunds, a news release stated.

Each pleaded guilty to one county of conspiracy to commit racketeering in February 2017 and await sentencing.