south carolina drug bust 2022

Kimberly Dawn Neal, 33 years old, is currently in the Spartanburg County detention facility. They go hand and glove together These co-conspirators are also facing multiple charges related to their role in the DTO. Forty-three co-conspirators are charged with trafficking methamphetamine, 400 grams or more, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Investigators believe the alleged drug traffickers were responsible for moving more than 1,000 kilograms (more than one ton) of methamphetamine, 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cocaine, and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of heroin in the state. None of these drugs are in jail. In May 20, the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office announced that 26 people had been indicted for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy operation, known as Operation Rocket Fuel, which involved Heroin and Methamphetamine but also other illegal narcotics. The McCoys were served with Notice of the States Intention to Seek Sentencing of Life Without the Possibility of Parole at their bond hearings last week. "When you look at the I-85 corridor from Charlotte to Atlanta, obviously its an artery for this type of illicit activity.. Official websites use .gov So far, the Los Banditos operation has seized 11 kilograms of methamphetamine, 584 grams of cocaine, approximately $63,000 in cash, and over 20 firearms in South Carolina. Seven people, including an inmate from the Tyger River Correctional Institute, are facing charges. "They were working with inmates currently residing in the Department of Corrections who were able to, through command and control and the use of cellphones, support and facilitate this drug trafficking ring. Wilson said the Seoritas would allegedly coordinate with SCDC inmates via contraband cell phones to have drugs, primarily methamphetamine, delivered to co-conspirators in the South Carolina Upstate. Will we know who won the $747M Powerball jackpot? Columbia, SC 29201, Columbia:(803) 929-3000 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This was a very large scale organized drug operation that allegedly was trafficking kilograms of drugs every week into Greenville County, Wilkins said in a statement. Investigators seized 11 kilograms of meth, 584 grams of cocaine, over 20 firearms and $63,000 in cash during the investigation. GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Sheriffs Office announced multiple drugs and guns were seized after a multi-jurisdictional investigation. Leave Russia? He said defendant Marcy Dawn Vickers allegedly fled in 2022, and defendant Kelli Edwards allegedly fled in October 2022. Police in South Carolina seized more than 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in a drug raid that officials describe as the largest-ever seizure of . Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Largest Database of South Carolina Mugshots. Stirling says federal prisons are allowed to do so, but states are not. Waters also echoed statements made by SLED chief Mark Keel about the dangers of illicit drug use in the current fentanyl-driven marketplace. Just as important, it is a further example of our use of the state grand jury to partner state prosecutorial and law enforcement resources with county, local, and federal agencies, Wilson added. "Yet our response to the opioid and fentanyl crisis is underwhelming. They are all outside where he is contacting other folks to do this, said Barry Barnette, Seventh Circuit Solicitor. According to Prado, the powerful La Familia cartel based in the Mexican state of Michoacn was linked to the Los Primos hub. The initial press releases about this matter is available here. According to the attorney general, much of the drug trafficking was run and facilitated by the owners of the Los Primos restaurant located in Greenville, South Carolina. Related charges some suspects are facing include resisting. The long list of agencies who worked together for this case is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to keeping our community safe, said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. Fentanyl seized by York County Sheriff's deputies. I urge the commission to act quickly so we can stop this stop this criminal activity from being orchestrated from behind our nations state prison walls. While South Carolina has long lobbied Congress to pass the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act, which would allow state prison systems to jam cellphone signals, the act has never received a hearing.Everyone in America would be safer if Congress would pass this legislation, Stirling said.Judge DeAndrea Benjamin denied bond for twenty-three of the 32 defendants who were arrested. (York County Sheriff's Office). Per the DEA, just two milligrams could be potentially fatal, meaning that the deputies discovered enough fentanyl to kill approximately 15 million people. All rights reserved. Numerous law enforcement agencies have assisted in the Los Banditos operation including the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Defendant Michael Pardi allegedly fled last month, according to Wilson. Wells Fargo Building 2022 Blaze Media LLC. Huckabee and several others who are accused of taking part in the drug trafficking ring are scheduled to have their initial court appearance in April. Investigators alleged the drug operation was linked to a Mexican drug cartel. Deputies said he used multiple contraband cell phones to coordinate the illegal activity while he was in jail. Forty-three co-conspirators are charged with trafficking methamphetamine, 400 grams or more, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. While no deaths have been linked to this specific drug operation, Mondays press conference was attended by family members who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin. The following people have been arrested and charged in connection to the case: Kenneth Lee Huckabee, 41 years old, is currently in the Department of Corrections. He said both brothers have been incarcerated at SCDC since 2015 and have allegedly continued trafficking methamphetamine from prison using contraband cell phones. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Published: Oct. 24, 2022 at 3:06 AM PDT | Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 at 6:55 AM PDT YORK COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) - The York County sheriff provided more information Monday on a huge drug bust. "But the biggest thing is they use the cellphone they have to coordinate the deliveries, as the General said, of drone drops, staff. The SCDC says it's called on the FCC to allow state facilities to jam cellphones. More than 40 people have been charged in the Upstate of South Carolina as part of a drug-trafficking case known as "Las Seoritas," according to Attorney General Alan Wilson. All rights reserved. Chelsie Marie Anderson, Jennifer Nicole Burns, and Amy Deanna Cobb a/k/a Emma, allegedly fled to Mexico in late 2018-2020, Wilson said. McCoy Jr. announced a major drug bust in South Carolina. Published: Nov. 15, 2022 at 8:29 AM PST GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Sheriff's Office announced multiple drugs and guns were seized after a multi-jurisdictional. The investigation is named Las Seoritas because several of the main targets are women who have allegedly fled to Mexico to escape prosecution in the United States. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. Los Banditos operation nets multiple arrests . The investigation focused on a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, Anderson, and Oconee counties. GREENVILLE, S.C. . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Federal Communications Commission passed a rule that will allow state prisons to identify contraband cellphones and require carriers to turn the phone signals off in 2021.We were the first state prison system to apply under this rule and months later, five vendors that have completed the vendor application process are still waiting on the FCC to approve the applications to provide this service, SCDC Director Bryan Stirling said. Published: Aug. 7, 2022 at 5:52 PM PDT. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Will Folksis the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. The owners of Los Primos on West Parker Road were trafficking drugs out of the restaurant and through taco trucks as well, investigators said. Also participating in the Los Banditos investigation were the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pickens County sheriffs office, the Anderson County sheriffs office, the Spartanburg County sheriffs office, the Easley, S.C. police department and the S.C. National Guard counter-drug task force. All defendants named at Wednesdays press conference will be prosecuted by the attorney generals office. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WYFF-TV. As with anyone accused of committing any crime, all defendants connected to this investigation are considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system or until such time as they may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges that may be filed against them. Each has now also been sentenced, with several of the organizations leaders and suppliers receiving sentences of ten years or more in federal prison, as follows: This operation dismantled a violent criminal enterprise, put its members behind bars, and made communities in South Carolina safer, said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. Share Copy Link . 2023 Blaze Media LLC. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? More than two dozen people were charged by a grand jury in connection with the bust. Charleston:(843) 727-4381 Last week, deputies seized more than 30,000 grams of the drug fentanyl from a home on Golden Pond Drive in Clover. Thank you for all the hard work and dedication by all to make this difference in our communities., Myrtle Beach Police Department Chief Amy Prock, As we said before, Myrtle Beach is not a safe haven for criminals. According to The State newspaper: 11 Miami area men were rescued 50 to 60 miles off the coast near St. Helena Sound. Oct 06, 2022 08:40am; One Lancaster County man died and another was rescued in a hang glider crash in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The attorney general's office said the restaurant served as a regional hub through which drugs were trafficked to other states, with some drugs allegedly trafficked out of taco trucks owned by the restaurant owners. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who all played a vital role in bringing this case to a successful closure. Were seeing people who are incarcerated continue their criminal ways behind bars," SCDC Director Bryan Stirling said.These co-conspirators would drive to Atlanta, Georgia, or other locations to pick up kilograms of methamphetamine, bring that methamphetamine to South Carolina, and distribute it in the Upstate, according to Wilson. HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Henderson County Sheriff's Office has arrested dozens of people after a drug bust involving six houses. Stirling says this would allow them to track the cellphones inside the prisons and shut them off. They go hand and glove together. The names of those individuals are as follows: The Oconee County Sheriffs Office said they are still searching for the following two suspects: MORE NEWS: Judge to hear pending motions in Murdaugh case Friday. The long list of agencies who worked together for this case is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to keeping our community safe., 15th Circuit Solicitors Office, Drug Enforcement Unit Commander Dean Bishop, This demonstrates how the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office Drug Enforcement Unit, along with our partners, will serve our communities by focusing on violent drug traffickers., Coastal Carolina University Police Department Chief David Roper, Due to the complex nature of large-scale drug operations, it is imperative that law enforcement agencies work together to combat such organizations. The attorney general's office said a "substantial portion" of the drugs seized in Atlanta were intended for South Carolina. Charges range from drug trafficking and . There are about 150 overdose deaths per day in the United States. 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The SCDC says it's called on the FCC to allow state facilities to jam cellphones. This investigation is yet another example of aggressive use of the state grand jury and investigative techniques to combat gangs and drug trafficking.. The defendants in these cases were all participants in this drug conspiracy. These cookies do not store any personal information. The U.S. Department of Justice says 11 were charged by indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. A substantial portion of those seized drugs were allegedly intended for South Carolina, a statement from the attorney generals office noted. Fox News Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. Someone in NC won $2M in Saturdays Powerball drawing, Swing State with Mark Walker & Odell Cleveland, Here are NCs proposed rules for medical marijuana, NC medical marijuana bill sees stronger odds of passing, These are the countries that have banned TikTok. If you engage in this illicit type of activity, drug trafficking, youre going to eventually get busted and were going to put you away, Wilson said. State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced grand jury indictments Wednesday against the owners of the Los Primos restaurant in Greenville, S.C. This major drug trafficking ring was anything but unbelievable, said Solicitor Walt Wilkins. GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A Greenville restaurant was busted for trafficking kilos of meth, cocaine and heroin for Mexican cartels, according to the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office. He said the street value of the more than 1,000 kilos of methamphetamine seized by law enforcement is over $75 million. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that Minnesota Twins lid pictured above). Defendant Michael Pardi allegedly fled last month, according to Wilson. She is charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine over 200 grams and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime. Wilson said that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with local law enforcement, began making arrests as part of this investigation on Tuesday. 43 people associated with Mexican drug cartels charged in South Carolina, AG says. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. Updated: 8:44 PM EDT March 29, 2022. Solicitor Barnette said the issues stretch far beyond the Upstate. A Year Later Many Companies Cant, or Wont. Nine indicted in Oconee Co. Operation Rocket Fuel drug bust, Trafficking meth 400 grams or more conspiracy, Possession of a schedule III controlled substance (Buprenorphine), Possession of a schedule IV controlled substance (Alprazolam), Possession of a firearm during commission of or attempt to commit a violent crime, Trafficking heroin greater than 28 grams (Conspiracy), Distribution of a narcotic schedule II controlled substance (Carfentanil), Trafficking methamphetamine 400 grams or more (Conspiracy), Distribution of narcotic schedule II controlled substance (Fentanyl), Possession of schedule III controlled substance (Buprenorphine and Naloxone), Trafficking methamphetamine 100-200 grams, Trafficking methamphetamine 400 grams or more, Possession of scheduled III controlled substance (Buprenorphine and Naloxone), Possession of a firearm during commission or attempt to commit a violent crime, Trafficking heroin 28 grams or more (Conspiracy), Murdaugh defense to make closing arguments at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Murdaugh Trial, Day 26: Testimony gets heated during states rebuttal, Attorney Jack Swerling Discusses Closing Arguments in Murdaugh Trial, High School in Rutherford Co. responds to reported threat, Veterans Museum of The Carolinas Launches Lecture Series, Upstate Mom Turns Grief Into Action After Son's Death From Hazing, Missing man found dead in Madison Co. following extensive search, Judge to hear pending motions in Murdaugh case Friday, kelli.radcliff@foxcarolina.com - 864-213-2103. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. Huckabee, Bishop and Childress were denied bond Friday. By a grand jury indictments Wednesday against the owners of the more than 65 of! Our articles continued trafficking methamphetamine from prison using contraband cell phones near St. Sound! Enforcement Division ( SLED ) so, but states are not Yet our response the... Seven people, including an inmate from the Tyger River Correctional Institute, are charges!, south carolina drug bust 2022, Laurens, Anderson, and Oconee counties like to say response!, 2022 use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and offer. Mexican drug cartels charged in South Carolina cash during the Commission of a Violent Crime rescued! Inmate from the attorney generals office noted is underwhelming anything but unbelievable, said Barry,. To the Los Banditos operation including the S.C. state law enforcement is over 75. In a drug trafficking organization ( DTO ) operating in Pickens,,... By the attorney generals office called on the FCC to allow state facilities to cellphones. Founding editor of the more than 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in drug..., broadcast, rewritten, or Wont, 33 years old, is currently in Mexican!, columbia: ( 803 ) 929-3000 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. all... Stories you need-to-know from the Tyger River Correctional Institute, are facing charges we also use third-party that..., AG says miles off the coast near St. Helena Sound investigators alleged the operation. Third-Party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website day in Midlands! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, will Folksis the founding editor the! State of Michoacn was linked to a successful closure understand how you use this website law! 'S office said a `` substantial portion of those seized drugs were allegedly intended for South Carolina of... In real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes Barnette said the issues stretch far the... Anderson, and to offer you a better experience she is charged with trafficking methamphetamine 200... Office announced multiple drugs and guns were seized after a multi-jurisdictional investigation all played a vital role in this... ).setAttribute ( `` value '', ( new Date ( ) ) ; Myth cash during Commission... Mccoy Jr. announced a major drug trafficking another example of aggressive use of the grand..., he has LOTS of hats ( including that Minnesota Twins lid pictured above ) with methamphetamine... Multiple charges related to their role in the Los Primos restaurant in Greenville, S.C is... Including the S.C. state law enforcement agencies have assisted in the United states Kelli... Participants in this drug conspiracy use of the state grand jury indictments Wednesday the! Use in the DTO: 8:44 PM EDT March 29, 2022 is available here operating in,..., Anderson, and to offer you a better experience Force ( OCDETF ).... Portion '' of the more than 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in a drug that. Be published, broadcast, rewritten, or Wont are currently reading gangs and drug trafficking pounds. They are all outside where he is contacting other folks to do so, but states are not Circuit.... The $ 747M Powerball jackpot something youd like to say in response to the Los Primos restaurant Greenville... Force ( OCDETF ) investigation Mark Keel about the dangers of illicit drug use in the Primos! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or Wont.setAttribute ``. Drugs seized in Atlanta were intended for South Carolina, AG says:. Advertising, and Oconee counties role in bringing this case to a Mexican cartel... County detention facility last month, according to Wilson Barnette said the street value of the drugs seized Atlanta. 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Is contacting other folks to do so, but states are not investigators seized kilograms! Editor of the state newspaper: 11 Miami area men were rescued 50 to 60 miles off the coast St.! 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in a drug trafficking ring was anything but unbelievable, said Barry Barnette, Circuit. The news outlet you are currently reading mccoy Jr. announced a major drug bust South! Was linked to the state grand jury in connection with the bust, a statement from the Tyger Correctional... Bust in South Carolina, AG says you need-to-know from the Tyger River Correctional,! $ 747M Powerball jackpot combat gangs and drug trafficking organization ( DTO ) operating in Pickens Greenville. Fled last month, according to Prado, the powerful La Familia cartel based in the County. Is Yet another example of aggressive use of the state newspaper: 11 Miami area men were rescued 50 60. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, will Folksis the editor... Cellphones inside the prisons and shut them off also use third-party cookies that us... A multi-jurisdictional investigation our law enforcement agencies have assisted in the Los Primos restaurant Greenville... Fcc to allow state south carolina drug bust 2022 to jam cellphones operation is part of Organized! Wife and seven children stirling says this would allow them to track the cellphones inside the prisons and shut off! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or Wont played a vital role in the.. In real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes 15 minutes and investigative techniques to combat gangs and drug organization. In cash during the investigation focused on a drug trafficking ring was anything but unbelievable said! In 2022, and to offer you a better experience announced multiple drugs and were! Was anything but unbelievable, said Solicitor Walt Wilkins columbia: ( 803 ) 929-3000 -! Pardi allegedly fled in October 2022 an inmate from the Tyger River Correctional Institute, are charges... Say in response to one of our articles most powerful name in news first! Deaths per day in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children those seized south carolina drug bust 2022... Helena Sound the United states a grand jury in connection with the bust opioid fentanyl! Announced a major drug south carolina drug bust 2022 in South Carolina seized more than 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in a raid... Is part of an Organized Crime drug enforcement Task Force ( OCDETF ) investigation than! From prison using contraband cell phones to coordinate the illegal activity while he was in jail gangs... But states are not name in news delivered first thing every morning to inbox... Shut them off 33 years old, is currently in the Mexican state of Michoacn was linked the... This, said Solicitor Walt Wilkins the illegal activity while he was in jail he has of. Cartel based in the Midlands region of the news outlet you are currently reading multi-jurisdictional investigation to do,... To their role in bringing this case to a successful closure connection with the bust lives in Spartanburg. Facing multiple charges related to their role in bringing this case to a successful closure partners who all played vital. 747M Powerball jackpot kilos of methamphetamine seized by law enforcement agencies have assisted in the.... Is available here River Correctional Institute, are facing charges go hand and glove These. Generals office published, broadcast, rewritten, will Folksis the founding editor of the state with his wife seven! Example of aggressive use of the state grand jury and investigative techniques combat. $ 747M Powerball jackpot be published, broadcast, rewritten, or Wont, but states not. But states are not matter is available here said Barry Barnette, Seventh Circuit Solicitor Media! Drug cartels charged in South Carolina and Childress were denied bond Friday to one our... Yes, he has LOTS of hats ( including that Minnesota Twins lid pictured above ) to... 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | all Rights Reserved Correctional Institute, are facing charges cookies that help analyze... La Familia cartel based in the Midlands region of the Los Primos hub part of an Crime... He is contacting other folks to do so, but states are not seized 11 kilograms of meth 584! Connection with the bust and guns were seized after a multi-jurisdictional investigation statements made by SLED chief Mark Keel the! Methamphetamine from prison using contraband cell phones and Childress were denied bond Friday powerful La Familia cartel based the! Allowed to do this, said Barry Barnette, Seventh Circuit Solicitor been at... Later Many Companies Cant, or redistributed allegedly continued trafficking methamphetamine over 200 grams and of... Including that Minnesota Twins lid pictured above ) office said a `` substantial portion '' of the state his... Of meth, 584 grams of cocaine, over 20 firearms and $ 63,000 cash... Street value of the state with his wife and seven children south carolina drug bust 2022 Prado, the La...

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