SC man charged with sex trafficking, witness tampering, more crimes, prosecutor says

Noah Feit
·2 min read

A Midlands man faces a life sentence in prison for human trafficking, one of multiple charges he’s facing, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In addition to facing a count of human trafficking conspiracy, Eric Rashun Jones was charged by a federal grand jury in Columbia with five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and three counts of witness tampering, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday in a news release.

The 30-year-old Newberry resident nicknamed “E Dolla” was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to the release.

The grand jury also indicted Brittany Danielle Cromer, a 33-year-old Greenville resident, as a co-conspirator in the human trafficking conspiracy charge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Between 2018 and 2022, Jones and Cromer recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and sex trafficked at least five victims by force, fraud, or coercion, according to the release.

Jones, a felon in possession of a Springfield Armory 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition, also corruptly persuaded victims and witnesses to not speak to the police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Evidence showed that Jones recruited vulnerable women and obtained commercial sex from victims for his financial benefit by means of physical and sexual violence, by manipulating victims’ drug withdrawal symptoms, and by threats and fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Some victims were tattooed with a reference to Jones’ name, while he also threatened violence and retaliation if victims or witnesses cooperated with law enforcement, according to the release.

No bond was set for Jones, who was a fugitive from state law enforcement from September 2019 until his arrest in March, according to the release. He’s facing pending state charges from domestic violence arrests in June and August 2019, Newberry County court records show.

Dating back to 2009, Jones has been convicted of multiple crimes in Newberry County, according to court records.

Should he be convicted on the federal charges, Jones faces a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison on six of the 10 counts, and could be sentenced to life behind bars on the human trafficking charge, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

Cromer, who was granted bond, also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

Information about when a trial for Jones and Cromer would begin was not available.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Greenville Police Department, Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Simpsonville Police Department.

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