PRESS NOTICE REGINALD I. LLOYD UNITED STATES ATTORNEY DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

1441 Main Street, Suite 500 * Columbia, SC 29201 * (803) 929-3000*

June 19, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT PERSON: KEVIN F. MCDONALD (803) 929-3000

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE TREASURER THOMAS RAVENEL INDICTED ON FEDERAL DRUG CHARGE

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney REGINALD I. LLOYD stated today that South Carolina State Treasurer THOMAS RAVENEL, age 44, of Charleston, along with another man, MICHAEL L. MILLER, age 25, of Mt. Pleasant, were charged in one-count Indictment this afternoon with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

The Indictment reads as follows:

THE GRAND JURY CHARGES:

That beginning at a time unknown to the grand jury, but beginning at least in or around late 2005, and continuing thereafter, up to and including the date of this Indictment, in the District of South Carolina, the defendants, THOMAS RAVENEL and MICHAEL L. MILLER, knowingly and intentionally did combine, conspire and agree together and have tacit understanding with each other and others, both known and unknown to the grand jury, to knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a quantity of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C);

All in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.

Mr. Lloyd stated the maximum penalty RAVENEL and MILLER could receive is a fine of $1,000,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 20 years.

Mr. Lloyd stated that the case was investigated by agents of the FBI and SLED, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney William Witherspoon of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Mr. Lloyd stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Indictment reads as follows:

I DON'T SEE ANY LANGUAGE IN THE DOCUMENT THAT SAYS....HE WAS "JUST SHARING WITH FRIENDS"........ ...............IT STATES: " AND TO DISTIBUTE A QUANTITY OF COCAINE" You can try to sugar coat an indictment if you want to, but "cocaine distribution" IS "Cocaine Distribution" IT IS WHAT IT IS!

..but you can't hide.

If Ravenel is convicted of distribution of cocaine, he can serve as much as 20 years in prison. I would say that it is more likely that he will cut a "plea deal" to serve a short amount of time behind bars along with probation.

If Ravenel cuts a "plea deal", in other words, "pleads guilty" then the Feds should insist that he roll over on a "Bigger Fish" If he does not roll over, then he should do some serious jail time with the rest of the "Cocaine Distributors".