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Heartbreak and Betrayal
Losing a child is an unimaginable tragedy, and for Stephen Federico, the pain was compounded when he learned that a clerical error allowed his daughter’s alleged murderer to remain free. Logan Federico, just 22 years old, lost her life in a violent incident that has sent shockwaves through their community.
On the night of Logan’s tragic death, Alexander Dickey was reportedly in the midst of a home burglary in South Carolina. Dickey, who had a lengthy criminal record, had been free despite a history of arrests stretching back over ten years. This revelation, along with the details of a clerical error, has left Federico grappling with intense grief and questions about justice.
A Troubling Background
Dickey was arrested in May in connection with Logan’s murder. He had previously pleaded guilty to burglary charges as recently as 2023. However, due to what has been described as a significant error, he was sentenced to a lighter punishment and subsequently released.
“We received three explanations for why he was out,” Federico shared in an interview, highlighting the confusion and frustration he has endured. The first explanation was patently false, suggesting that Dickey had served his time, which Federico called “1,000% incorrect.”
Two weeks after Logan’s murder, Federico received distressing news from an investigative reporter. This reporter uncovered that a fingerprint mishap had occurred that prevented Dickey from being properly processed by law enforcement.
Double Trouble with Fingerprints
News sources reported that this fingerprint error was not an isolated incident. Federico mentioned that the investigative journalist revealed the mishap had happened twice concerning Dickey.
“Two instances where there was a fingerprint mishap kind of led to my daughter’s future,” Federico lamented. This statement reflects not just personal pain but the systemic failures that allowed a repeat offender to slip through the cracks.
The Lexington County Sheriff’s Office reviewed Dickey’s records. Their examination revealed uncertainties surrounding his fingerprinting during previous arrests. They stated, “We have checked all of Dickey’s bookings and were unable to determine if his prints were taken at the time of those additional in-custody bookings in 2014.” Such details emphasize the chaotic nature of the system that failed to adequately document Dickey’s history.
A Pattern of Oversights
In August 2014, Dickey faced charges for grand larceny. SLED, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, received his fingerprints from that arrest, which subsequently appeared in his criminal history. However, additional warrants relating to burglary and larceny issued later that year did not generate new fingerprint records, leaving important gaps in his documentation.
Compounding the issue, the agency indicated that it never received fingerprints associated with several of Dickey’s arrestees in 2014. In October of that same year, authorities served him further warrants for burglary and larceny. Unfortunately, again, the lack of new fingerprint records created an incomplete representation of his criminal activity.
SLED noted that the absence of Dickey’s fingerprints related to his 2014 burglary arrest could be attributed to flaws in the processes at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. This critical failure created an opportunity for a career criminal to remain on the streets.
Systemic Flaws and Human Error
The Lexington County Sheriff’s Office publicly addressed the circumstances surrounding Dickey’s record. They deemed the situation a
