Department of Justice officials announced Monday the second person this week sentenced to federal prison over their role in the May 30, 2020 “riots” on King Street.
Kelsey Donnel Jackson, a 28-year-old man from Edisto Island, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release.
Jackson pleaded to “maliciously damaging a police vehicle by means of fire” during unrest that resulted in violence and destruction along the popular tourist corridor in May 2020.
Specifically, Jackson was shown on a Facebook livestream pointing a gun at the camera and making provocative statements about police as he drove toward downtown, a Justice Department press release said Monday. Jackson also vandalized property, assaulted civilians, and attempted to light a police car on fire, the release said.
Another man, Abraham Jenkins, was sentenced to 18 months last week. Tearra Guthrie previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served. Three others have also pleaded guilty and will likely soon face sentencing.
The night of May 30, 2020, a group of people took to upper King Street downtown, breaking windows and setting fires following a day of protest marches throughout downtown in which hundreds of people demonstrated against the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis a few days earlier.
The next day, on May 31, law enforcement officers, including Charleston police, arrested a series of protesters peacefully assembled in Marion Square after firing pepper balls and tear gas at them.
Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds reiterated his statement from last week on Monday: “We will not rest until justice is accomplished for all impacted by those criminal acts.”
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