) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He is charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine over 400 grams. SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. The Sumter County Sheriff's Office announced a large drug bust that took place during a search warrant at a residence in the 1300 block . COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA David Ruger, 44, of Long Beach, California, was sentenced to more than 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA Marek Cortez Brewer, Jr., 24, of Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA Patricia Ann Hemphill, 51, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison after pleading guilty relating to a multi-state drug operation out of Main Office: We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He says they have a system at one state prison that would allow them to do this. Legal Statement. Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more. It might surprise people that cartel drug trafficking happens in South Carolina, but it does and were fighting to stop it, Wilson said. Updated: 1:35 PM EST Nov 15, 2022 Greenville County Sheriff's Office . This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Prado also indicated Interstate 85 in South Carolina was a major pipeline for trafficking. 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. State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced grand jury indictments Wednesday against the owners of the Los Primos restaurant in Greenville, S.C. 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 . Shandon Paige Hammett, 34 years old, is currently in the Spartanburg County detention facility. By signing up to the Blaze News newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from Blaze Media that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. Lock Drug trafficking and violence are not distant cousins," Wilson said. Information from the Los Banditos investigation was used to make another bust in Atlanta, where authorities seized approximately 200 kilos (441 pounds) of methamphetamine, 3.5 kilos (7.7 pounds) of cocaine, 3.2 kilos (7 pounds) of heroin, 5 ounces of cocaine mixed with fentanyl, 183 pounds of marijuana, 900 Xanax pills, and multiple firearms from stash houses in apartments, the attorney general's office said. Copyright 2022 WHNS. This content is imported from YouTube. Investigators alleged the drug operation was linked to a Mexican drug cartel. In May 20, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office announced that 26 people had been indicted for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy operation, known as. Thousands of kilos of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine were pumping into Greenville County.. Stirling says federal prisons are allowed to do so, but states are not. In remarks at the press conference, Mike Prado resident agent in charge for DHS investigatory wing called the Los Banditos operation a major win not just for the agencies involved but for the people of South Carolina., Prado added the arrests connected to the sting were a significant blow to a transnational criminal organization.. On March 9, 2022, deputies said that a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle that left Shonda Finchs house on Boot Hill Court in Spartanburg County. Samantha Nicole Bishop, 40 years old, is currently in the Spartanburg County detention facility. Investigators said Finch, Huckabees wife, allegedly helped him distribute drugs while he was behind bars. Updated: 8:03 PM EDT May 5, 2022 GREENWOOD, S.C. A joint operation in one South Carolina county has ended with a major drug bust with pills counted in the hundreds and raw drugs measured in . Authorities said the organization had ties across the state line into North Carolina and one of its supply sources had direct ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Mexico. State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced grand jury indictments Wednesday against the owners of the Los Primos restaurant in Greenville, S.C. A Families Against Fentanyl analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data released in December 2021 found that illicit fentanyl poisoning was the No. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. The South Carolina Attorney Generals Office released photos of drugs, weapons and cash seized amid the investigation. Stirling says this would allow them to track the cellphones inside the prisons and shut them off. GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Sheriffs Office announced multiple drugs and guns were seized after a multi-jurisdictional investigation. "We can identify where it's located in the prison yard, and then we can turn it over to the industry and within five days, they will turn it off. Will we know who won the $747M Powerball jackpot? Florence:(843) 665-6688. During the traffic stop, deputies said 2,004.8 grams of methamphetamine was seized. By working with our partners at SLED and local agencies, were able to investigate and prosecute complex trafficking conspiracies like this one and defend the rule of law. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. 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. Slideshow. "Yet our response to the opioid and fentanyl crisis is underwhelming. Wilson announced Thursday that the South Carolina State Grand Jury has issued indictments that contain 170 charges against 43 defendants. Constantly updated. I want to extend my deepest appreciation to all the different agencies, investigators, prosecutors, and everyone behind the scenes who have helped in this case.Wilson said that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with local law enforcement, began making arrests as part of this investigation on Tuesday. Updated October 21, 2022 8:37 AM. High Point man arrested during SWAT Team drug bust in home near school; police seize over 30 guns, trafficking amounts of drugs, around $50,000 . Shonda Michelle Finch, 45 years old, is currently in the Department of Corrections. He said the street value of the more than 1,000 kilos of methamphetamine seized by law enforcement is over $75 million. Search arrest records and find latests mugshots and bookings for Misdemeanors and Felonies. The initial press releases about this matter is available here. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Division say one man now faces a lengthy list of charges after a drug trafficking bust. He says they have a system at one state prison that would allow them to do this. Published: May. Defendant Michael Pardi allegedly fled last month, according to Wilson. The restaurant served as a regional hub for an operation which allegedly trafficked cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous other states. Los Banditos operation nets multiple arrests . But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The SCDC says it's called on the FCC to allow state facilities to jam cellphones. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? "But the biggest thing is they use the cellphone they have to coordinate the deliveries, as the General said, of drone drops, staff.. These operations require technology, experience, and boots on the ground in order to gather enough information to arrest and successfully prosecute participants in the drug trade. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Hungry? with the help of the South Carolina Department . 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. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Huckabee, Bishop and Childress were denied bond Friday. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An inmate is accused of operating a drug trafficking ring from behind bars in Spartanburg County. One of them was married to one of the cartel members," Wilson said. "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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA Less than twenty months after 30 Horry County and Myrtle Beach-area drug traffickers were indicted based on a federal wiretap investigation into narcotics and violence, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Carolina announced today that all 30 have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? 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. "We can identify where it's located in the prison yard, and then we can turn it over to the industry and within five days, they will turn it off.". Court filings show the Cedar Branch drug trafficking organization was an interstate conspiracy that distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, meth and firearms. People are sentenced to the Department of Corrections for long periods of time. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "Folks, if this was a bag full of terrorists, if this was anthrax, our response would be overwhelming," Young County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said. None of these drugs are in jail. According to the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, he had help from others outside of jail. Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson told WMBF News a couple of weeks ago that Operation Broken Branch is a perfect example of how federal, state and local agencies worked together to bring down a criminal organization and help make the communities feel safer. 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. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who all played a vital role in bringing this case to a successful closure. Wilson said that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with local law enforcement, began making arrests as part of this investigation on Tuesday. Stirling says federal prisons are allowed to do so, but states are not.Stirling says this would allow them to track the cellphones inside the prisons and shut them off. More than two dozen people were charged by a grand jury in connection with the bust. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Attorney General Wilson said that drugs in the southeast are typically trafficked across the southern border and sent to Atlanta, where they are then distributed to neighboring states. Huckabee is charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine over 400 grams. Deputies seize 15 guns, more than 2000 grams of drugs in drug bust, The Greenville County Sheriff's Office said deputies recently took part in a multi-jurisdictional investigation that resulted in the seizure of the items, 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, kelli.radcliff@foxcarolina.com - 864-213-2103. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that Minnesota Twins lid pictured above). This case illustrates the results that are possible when federal, state, and local agencies work together toward a common goal.. Record fentanyl busts, migrant encounters plague southern border. In Georgia, however, information from the grand jury investigation led to the seizure of approximately 200 kilos of methamphetamine, 3.5 kilos of cocaine, 3.2 kilos of heroin, 5 ounces of cocaine mixed with fentanyl, 183 pounds of Marijuana, 900 Xanax pills, and multiple firearms from several stash houses and apartments in and around Atlanta. 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. Charges range from drug trafficking and . For more information about our use of cookies, our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information generally, and any rights you may have to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of your personal information, please view our, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. According to The State newspaper: 11 Miami area men were rescued 50 to 60 miles off the coast near St. Helena Sound. Copyright 2022 WHNS. 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. He is charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine over 400 grams. He said both brothers have been incarcerated at SCDC since 2015 and have allegedly continued trafficking methamphetamine from prison using contraband cell phones. Pictures: Fentanyl, meth, LSD, mushrooms, pot, 15 guns seized from South Carolina home. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I want to extend my deepest appreciation to all the different agencies, investigators, prosecutors, and everyone behind the scenes who have helped in this case.. Deputies discovered more than 30,000 grams of fentanyl. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina announced on Monday that 30 Horry County and Myrtle Beach area gang members and drug trafficking associates have been sentenced in . MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA Less than twenty months after 30 Horry County and Myrtle Beach-area drug traffickers were indicted based on a federal wiretap investigation into narcotics and violence, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina announced today that all 30 have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court. 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. All defendants named at Wednesdays press conference will be prosecuted by the attorney generals office. 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