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COLUMBIA, S.C. (BFMG) — Governor Henry McMaster ceremonially signed the “Captain Robert Johnson Act” into law on Tuesday, making it a crime for inmates to possess telecommunications devices without authorization. The new law strengthens efforts to combat the use of contraband cell phones, which officials say have facilitated crimes inside and outside of prison.
“Today’s bill signing builds on our success, further strengthening our prisons’ security and protecting communities,” said McMaster.
SCDC Director Bryan Stirling highlighted the significance of the legislation. “It has always been against our rules, but now it is against the law,” he said.
The bill defines telecommunications devices broadly, covering cell phones, radios, laptops, and any new technology enabling communication. A first offense is classified as a misdemeanor, carrying up to one year in prison. A second offense becomes a felony, punishable by up to five years, with an additional 10 years if the device is used to facilitate another felony.
The legislation honors Captain Robert Johnson, a former corrections captain shot in 2010 by a gunman hired by inmates using a contraband phone. Johnson expressed his relief over the new law. “I think we need to do all we can to stop inmates from having access to contraband phones,” he said.
The law supports SCDC’s Cell Phone Interdiction program, launched through a pilot in July 2023, making South Carolina the first correctional agency to disable illegal phones directly with wireless carriers. Since then, the program has neutralized 1,500 phones. At the press conference, 1,500 confiscated phones were displayed alongside drones and other items used to smuggle contraband into facilities.
Speaker of the House Murrell Smith praised the progress, thanking corrections officers. “What we have today is us fixing the problem,” Smith said.
