Sheriff Lott: 12 charged for roles in riot at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to provide an update on the investigation into the riot at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on September 3. Sheriff Lott says 12 individuals currently face charges related to this riot.

According to RCSD, One male corrections officer and one female corrections officer were injured in the riot. They were treated at the scene before being taken to the hospital. No inmates were injured.

Two inmates were charged for their roles in the riot on September 3. Authorities say 23-year-old Jujuan Council and 32-year-old Anthony Blakney are both charged with assault and battery first degree, kidnapping and rioting. Sheriff Lott says 10 additional inmates have been charged since that day. Officials say these ten inmates face the same charges as Council and Blakney. Additionally, authorities say Devonte Spell and Elijah Webb have been charged with unlawful escape on top of the other charges.

According to authorities, Spell popped the lock on his cell door around 8 a.m. September 3 and helped Webb get out of his cell. Investigators say Webb went downstairs and unlocked all the cell doors from a computer at the officer desk. Sheriff Lott says 54 inmates were housed in the pod. Authorities say officers were trying to get inmates back in their cells when inmates surrounded the officer desk and began hitting the officers with chairs, trash cans and mattresses before the officers were eventually pulled away from the riot.

Sheriff Lott says the riot occurred after inmates were upset about the amount of recreation time they were given.

The sheriff’s department released surveillance video, showing the attack.

*Video courtesy of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department*

RCSD says the following 12 inmates have been charged:

1. JuJuan Council (DOB: 3-19-98)
   • Previously in for Murder
2. Anthony Blakney (DOB: 7-23-89) 
   • Previously in for Armed Robbery, Domestic Violence 1st Degree
3. Cameron C. Williams (DOB: 7-17-95)
   • Previously in for Carjacking with Great Bodily Injury, Armed Robbery 
4. Iric Bolden (DOB: 6-1-93)
   • Previously in for Multiple Counts Kidnapping and Armed Robbery
5. Roy Harley (DOB: 1-13-98)
   • Previously in for Carjacking, Kidnapping, Armed Robbery 
6. Dontez O. Brown (DOB: 9-19-02)
   • Previously in for Arson, Malicious Injury to Place of Worship, Indecent Exposure 
7. Willie Singleton (DOB: 10-5-89)
   • Previously in for 2 Counts Murder, Burglary, Kidnapping
8. Devonte Spell (DOB: 5-24-93)
   • Previously in for Burglary, MIPP
9. Elijah Webb (DOB: 6-16-00)
   • Previously in for Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, Grand Larceny 
10. Derrick Rice (DOB: 8-31-90)
    • Previously in for 3 Counts Assault and Battery by Mob Resulting in Death
11. Denzell McMillian (DOB: 2-24-00)
    • Previously in for Multiple Counts Armed Robbery, Kidnapping and Burglary 
12. Darius Whitener (DOB: 5-11-97)
    • Previously in for Burglary, Domestic Violence, Assault, Violation of Parole

Sheriff Lott also took time to discuss the detention center’s namesake. The sheriff says Alvin S. Glenn was a detention center officer killed 21 years ago, on September 17, by inmates who were planning an escape from the Richland County Detention Center.

Alvin S. Glenn
Courtesy: Richland County Sheriff’s Department

Sheriff Lott warned that something like this could have happened during the riot on September 3.