MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – An inmate has filed a lawsuit related to the Brittanee Drexel murder investigation.

Tequan L. Brown claims he is in imminent danger of death or great bodily injury because authorities released his statement about the investigation to local news media outlets.

Brittanee Drexel was reported missing in spring of 2009 on Ocean Boulevard.  FBI investigators believe she was taken from the Blue Water Inn and was held against her will for several days.

The suit states Brown was interviewed about Drexel in April 2016, but in July 2016, told authorities he wanted no part of the Drexel investigation and to null or void his previous agreement and testimony.

But FBI agents named Brown as an eyewitness who said Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor and others sexually abused Drexel. Brown sent prison officials a letter claiming he saw Taylor and others rape and kill Drexel.

The suit says the release of Brown’s testimony to the media “inflames the individuals responsible for Drexel’s murder hatred for the plaintiff. Plaintiff currently has a $15,000 bounty on his head and currently has a gang, bloods, trying to cash in on that bounty.”

This lawsuit was filed by Tequan L Brown in December 2018 against Assistant US attorney Jim May, FBI agent Jeffery Long, Stage AG Alan Wilson, Jeffery Scott with the gang unit division of the SC Dept of Corrections, Bryan Stirling commissioner of SC Dept of Corrections, and another prisoner.

The suit states defendants publicly called Brown a “snitch” and released his statement to the Post and Courier and WCSC. Brown says he believes “Shawn Taylor” threatened his and his mother’s life in connection to the murder investigation. He was later placed in protective custody.

Brown alleges the defendants have conspired to violate his civil rights, deny him access to court for his PCR hearing, and deny him equal protection of laws.

The lawsuit is available here.