William Holmes

Serial drug offender William Holmes was arrested yet again by North Charleston officers this past Monday. Holmes, of 3307 Ottawa Avenue in North Charleston's Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood, was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Possession of Cocaine 1st Offense. He was given a $50,000 bond on each of the firearm charges and a $25,000 bond on the cocaine charge.

After a review of his criminal record in Charleston County we can assume Holmes isn't overly worried about these latest charges in light of all the past charges dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

In April of 1999 Holmes was charged with PWID Crack, Distribution of Crack, Distribution of Cocaine near a School and Distribution of Crack Cocaine near a School.

Holmes worked out a deal with the 9th Circuit Solicitor. He pled guilty to the distribution of cocaine near a school and the solicitor dropped all of the other charges. He was sentenced by Judge Smoak to a YOA sentence not to exceed six years.

Holmes was arrested in July of 199 and charged with PWID Cocaine. He pled guilty to the charge in August of 2001 in front of the same judge who sentenced him before, Judge Smoak. This time around the judge handed down the ridiculous sentence of one year in prison to be served concurrently with the previous sentence.

In spite of those previous sentences, Holmes was out running the streets in May of 2000 when he was charged with Assault & Battery With Intent to Kill. The charge was dismissed by the solicitor in August of 2001 because the victim refused to cooperate.

In November of 2000 Holmes was charged with Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle. The 9th Circuit Solicitor dismissed the case in September of 2001 with the note stating another defendant was in possession of the vehicle.

In June of 2002 Holmes was charged again with PWID Cocaine and PWID Cocaine Within 1/2 Mile of a School. He pled guilty to both charges in front of Judge Victor Rawl in December of 2002. Rawl sentenced Holmes to five years with credit for 182 days served, to run concurrent with any YOA parole from his previous sentence.

Holmes was out of prison two year later when he was charged in December of 2004 with Possession of Crack Cocaine, PWID Cocaine and PWID Cocaine near a School. Two of the charges were dismissed at the preliminary hearing when the judge decided there was no probable cause for the charges. The remaining charge was dismissed by the solicitor with the notation that the case lacked merit.

In June of 2005 Holmes was charged with Trafficking Crack Cocaine and PWID Crack near a School. The 9th Circuit Solicitor dismissed the charges in April of 2007 noting there were insufficient facts to prosecute. Hmmm.......he either had the drugs or he didn't. Where does the confusion come in?

In December of 2005 Holmes was charged with Possession of a Weapon During Commission of a Violent Crime, Kidnapping and Armed Robbery. He was able to talk the 9th Circuit Solicitor into a sweet deal that allowed him to plead guilty to a lesser charge of strong arm robbery. The other charges were dismissed. Judge Roger Young sentenced Holmes to four years in prison on 22 October, 2008.

While awaiting his sweet plea deal on the above charges Holmes was charged in November of 2006 with another count of Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. Holmes was able to get the solicitor to include these offenses in his sweet deal, too. The kidnapping charge was dropped and he pled guilty to a lesser charge of strong arm robbery. Judge Young gave him four years in prison on that charge, too.

After being released to prey on the citizens of the Lowcountry once again Holmes was charged in January of 2011 with Breach of Trust (theft). The charge was dismissed at the preliminary hearing.

Does anyone else think law enforcement is just pissing in the wind when they put in the work to lock these thugs up and the judges and solicitors keep letting them go?