In the Press
In his 24 years as a prosecutor, Nathan Williams has handled many complex and publicized cases. His work was featured on Dateline NBC twice, CBS’ 48 Hours, and Crime Watch Daily. Nathan’s work has been featured in other media contexts, from scholarly articles to magazine articles and from local news to international news.
48 Hours Interview
Dateline NBC
United States v. Dylann Roof
On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof murdered nine parishioners during a church bible study at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston because of their race. Roof went to trial and was sentenced to death. The case garnered local, national, and international attention and was the first capital prosecution of a federal hate crime. Nathan was awarded the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for his efforts.
Featured Articles and Video
BARRON’S
Aug 25, 2021
Death Sentence Upheld For Charleston Church Shooter Dylann Roof
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jan 14, 2017
Prosecutors urge jury to sentence Dylann Roof to death
CNN
Jan 4, 2017
Dylann Roof: ‘There’s nothing wrong with me psychologically’
REUTERS
Jan 4, 2017
South Carolina church gunman said 'I'm not crazy' as he fired: witness
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Jan 4, 2017
Dylann Roof, Addressing Court, Offers No Apology or Explanation for Massacre
NBC NEWS
Jan 4, 2017
Dylann Roof Tells Jury: 'There Is Nothing Wrong With Me Psychologically'
THE WASHINGTON POST
Jan 4, 2017
Charleston church shooter: ‘I would like to make it crystal clear, I do not regret what I did’
CBS NEWS
Dec 16, 2016
Dylann Roof trial: Jurors reach verdict
THE POST AND COURIER
Dec 16, 2016
‘Justice was delivered’
THE STATE
Dec 16, 2016
Dylann Roof found guilty
FOX NEWS
Dec 15, 2016
The Latest: Prosecutor calls Roof ignorant coward
THE GUARDIAN
Dec 15, 2016
Dylann Roof trial: jury to deliberate after closing arguments
PEOPLE
Dec 15, 2017
Dylann Roof Guilty in Charleston Church Shooting That Killed Nine
PBS NEWS HOUR
Dec 15, 2016
Dylann Roof found guilty in Charleston church massacre, could face death penalty
POLITICO
Dec 15, 2016
Jurors convict Dylann Roof on all counts in church slayings
GREENVILLE NEWS
Dec 15, 2016
Jury in Roof trial finds Roof guilty on all counts
Speaking Engagements
Nathan has presented to FBI agents, death penalty prosecutors, community members, and at multiple anti-terrorism conferences on the investigation and prosecution of the Dylann Roof case. The accompanying video entitled “The Face of Hate: The Investigation and Prosecution of Hate Crimes.” is from a Dylann Roof case presentation at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The video entitled “The Face of Hate: The Investigation and Prosecution of Hate Crimes.” is from a Dylann Roof case presentation at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
United States v. Amir Golestan, Micfo
Amir Golestan was the CEO of tech company Micfo, a business that provided services, such as server space or web hosting, to other web-based platforms, such as VPN providers. In a first-of-its-kind prosecution, Golestan and Micfo were convicted of wire fraud for making false statements to the American Registry of Internet Numbers (ARIN) to obtain IPv4 address resources. Golestan and Micfo then sold these resources for millions of dollars in profit on the open market. The innovative nature of the case, and the complex concepts underlying the fraud, case were featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and several Charleston news sources.
Featured Articles and Video
CHARLESTON REGIONAL BUSINESS JOURNAL
Nov 29, 2021
Charleston tech company and CEO plead guilty to 20 counts of wire fraud
BLOOMBERG LAW
Nov. 22, 2021
Feds Credit New GC, McDermott for Tech Chief’s Fraud Prosecution
LAW360
Nov 20, 2021
Tech Exec Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud Charges During Trial
GIGAZINE
Nov 18, 2021
Admitting that the CEO of an internet company had illegally obtained an IP address
CISO SERIES
Nov 18, 2021
Exec pleads guilty on internet address fraud
THE POST AND COURIER
Nov 17, 2021
Charleston tech exec pleads guilty 2 days into internet fraud trial
BBC
May 17, 2019
American man accused in $9m net address theft
CYBERSCOOP
May 17, 2019
Cloud company CEO accused of orchestrating million-dollar IP fraud scheme
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Nov. 16, 2021
Executive Pleads Guilty in Internet Address Fraud Case
LIVE 5 NEWS
Dec 15, 2016
Charleston tech company, CEO enter guilty pleas in wire fraud case
ABC NEWS CHANNEL 4
May 15, 2019
Charleston tech company, CEO charged over $9 million in reported fraud
Charleston Murder for Hire
In United States v. Moore et al, ATF and FBI agents uncovered a plot by a Charleston banker and his secretary, whom he was having an affair with, to murder the banker’s wife. The case was covered in a feature episode of Dateline NBC, Crime Watch Daily and received extensive local media coverage. The case went to trial, where the banker, Chris Latham, and his secretary, Wendy Moore, were convicted after two weeks of testimony.
CresCom Bank Double Murder Death Penalty Trial
United States v. Brandon Council. On August 21, 2017, Brandon Council executed two employees of the CresCom bank in Conway, SC., during a daylight robbery. Council went to trial in late 2019 and was sentenced to death on October 3, 2019. The case was covered extensively in the local media and is just one of five federal death verdicts since 2015. Nathan Williams has prosecuted two of these - this case and the case against Dylann Roof.
Featured Articles and Video
WIS TV
Oct. 3, 2019
Jury sentences Brandon Council to death for deadly CresCom Bank robbery
WBTW News13
Oct 3, 2019
Brandon Council sentenced to death for killing 2 women in Conway bank robbery
WPDE ABC15
Oct, 3 2019
Jury sentences Brandon Council to death in deadly bank robbery
FOX 8 News
Oct 4, 2019
North Carolina man sentenced to death after killing 2 women in SC bank robbery
WMBF News
Oct. 3, 2019
Jury sentences Brandon Council to death for deadly CresCom Bank robbery
United States v. Michael Slager
Slager was a North Charleston police officer who shot a fleeing motorist in the back following a traffic stop. Slager pled guilty to using excessive force and was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. Nathan Williams was involved in the Slager’s sentencing and post-conviction motions, including his appeal and ineffective assistance of counsel claims. The case was featured extensively in national and state news.
Featured Article
The State
Apr. 12, 2021
Jury sentences Brandon Council to death for deadly CresCom Bank robbery
Johns Island South Carolina Kidnapping
United States v. Thomas Evans. Evans committed a daytime break-in of a Johns Island, SC home where he brutally assaulted a mother of four and kidnapped a four-year-old girl. The kidnapping sent local police and the FBI on a nationwide manhunt, with Thomas eventually being located and arrested in Mississippi. The four-year-old girl was also found and returned to her family. The case drew national media attention and was the focus of the Charleston, SC community until Evans was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison.
Featured Articles and Video
Live 5 News WCSC
Oct. 3, 2019
Man serving life for Johns Island kidnapping given another life sentence for state-level charges
Count on 2
Mar. 6, 2019
Judge: “You are a sorry excuse for a human being” – Thomas Evans sentenced to life in prison
WMBF News
Mar. 5, 2019
Man who kidnapped 4-year-old Johns Island girl sentenced to 3 life sentences
WCIV ABC News 4
March 5th 2019
Johns Island family faces Thomas Evans as judge sets 3 life sentences in kidnapping case
WBTV News
Mar. 5, 2019
Man who kidnapped 4-year-old Johns Island girl sentenced to 3 life sentences
Facebook
Mar. 5, 2019
Thomas Evans gets 3 life sentences for kidnapping, assaulting 4-yr-old Johns Island girl.
International Parental Kidnapping
United States v. Dorothy Barnett. In 1995 Dorothy Barnett disappeared from Isle of Palms, SC, during her divorce proceedings. When she disappeared, she took her infant daughter with her. Despite desperate international searches, Barnett and the infant were not found. Until 20 years later, FBI agents acting on a tip found Barnett living under an alias in Australia. Nathan Williams led the extradition and prosecution of Barnett. The case, along with reunifying the missing child with her South Carolina family, was featured on Dateline NBC, 48 Hours and was covered extensively in local and international news.
Featured Articles and Video
48 Hours
Dec 8, 2018
Dear Savanna: Mother at center of international manhunt speaks out
NBC News
Aug 7, 2015
Finding Savanna
Live 5 News WCSC
Feb 11, 2015
Woman charged with abducting daughter from SC gets 21 months in jail
Associated Press
Nov 22, 2014
Woman charged with fleeing with child seeks bond
Reuters
Sept 27, 2014
Woman accused of kidnapping daughter in 1994 extradited to U.S. from Australia