But these moms believe getting some of the big fish off the street could save the lives of many. Deputies say that the drug bust happened on Tuesday on Southers. 2022 Blaze Media LLC. The couple is also known as Rob and Lynn Greene. 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. U.S Attorney E. Bart Daniel said the half-ton of uncut cocaine valued at $10 million was the largest confiscation of drugs in South Carolina history. 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.. Bob Byers got a 25-year sentence plus eight years for his escape. I could barely move my arms and legs without help.. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? We invite thought provoking exchanges while sharing facts from reliable sources and discussing distinguished theories and speculation while showing the utmost consideration and respect for the victims and being mindful of due process. According to a federal indictment, the defendants have been identified as Glenn Talley Jr., Leonard Gatling, Stephanie Amber Hawkins, Joe Kent Graham, Jermaine Louis . To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores, 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54, 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident. Large drug bust in Hampton County (for those of you who believe drugs played a role in the murders). Growing up a few miles from Les in Columbia, Barry Foy spent his youth delivering newspapers and eggs, working on construction crews, and pumping gas. Between February 1, 2021, and December 14, 2022, law enforcement seized over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine (with a street value of approximately $800,000) and 30 guns as part of this investigation. Detric McGowan Arrested in Alleged South Carolina Drug Bust after Story Went Viral February 27, 2019, 4:19 PM This good Samaritan who went viral for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies was. Wilkins said the amount of drugs flowing through upstate South Carolina is at the highest level he's ever seen. So they are applauding the work, knowing much more work needs done. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Wilson announced. One of President Reagans earliest actions, on recommendation of Sen. Strom Thurmond, was to appoint Henry McMaster as South Carolinas United States attorney. Specifically, date rape druggings which are alleged to have occurred at Sears establishments. https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/23/county-wide-operation-pentagon-nets-least-18-arrests-h-c/8075562002/. At this point, it is not immediately clear how either Jonathan or Geoffrey Sears would be connected to such an investigation but hopefully our FOIA request will yield additional information as to the nature (and the status) of this inquiry. Thousands of grams of cocaine, and hundreds of grams of meth and marijuana were also found, along with four firearms. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. Rounding up these folks could well get them talking about the big drug bosses. SEE IT: Bidens message to Zelenskyy written in Ukraine Royal Palace guest book, Twitter 2023 USSA News, The Tea Party's Front Page. One of South Carolina's largest drug smuggling bust News, news, seriousness, tension(1077866) - Lyrebirds music. A trusted neighbor is on top of a 20-foot ladder in . York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson gathered with some S.C. lawmakers Monday, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, to talk about the lack of laws to combat fentanyl in the state. The task force, in concert with the U.S. Attorneys Office, worked to bring the Gentlemen Smugglers and their associates to justice. Barry Foy and Les were making so much money it was hard to figure out what to do with it all. Others, including Barry and Les, were harder to bring in. Among the chief targets of Operation Jackpot were South Carolina marijuana kingpins Barry Foy, from Billinge and Les Riley, who stood accused of smuggling 347,000 pounds of marijuana and 130,000 pounds of hashish into the United States. ', Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. When all the Operation Jackpot trials were over, more than 100 smugglers went to jail. Charlestons famous restaurant, 82 Queen, was seized as well. "Theres much more volume flowing into our communities. The property had a deep water dock. Police from the Lee County sheriff's office, in coordination with South Carolina correctional authorities, made the busts following an eight-month investigation into the rings, which used drones to make late-night deliveries of contraband to the prison. The investigation was dubbed Las Seoritas because several women among the main targets allegedly fled to Mexico to escape prosecution in the United States. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? Also, 2 guys were arrested one month before the murders on drug charges: https://fox28media.com/news/local/deputies-2-arrested-meth-seized-in-hampton-county-south-carolina-drug-operation 13 51 51 comments New Add a Comment Tardis301 1 min. Under South Carolina law, trafficking in cocaine is a felony punishable by a prison term of between 25 and 30 years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted and a fine of up to $200,000. These losers may have been the only people left in the county who would hang out with Paul. Civil wars and ocean chases pound the heart of the thrill-seeker. "A well-known, very violent cartel thats operated for many years in Mexico.. The. All Rights Reserved. SLED agents began arresting suspects in the case on January 3, 2023 assisted by local law enforcement agencies. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Smugglers Barry Foy, Les Riley, and Wally Butler celebrate a days catch in Hilton Head at a king mackerel tournament, where they blended into society while leading secret lives. . Simpson Says Hes Not Qualified To Say If Alex Murdaugh Did It. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. . Charges range from drug trafficking and weapons to burglary and kidnapping. March 3 (UPI) -- A 7-year-old Louisiana boy with a firm grasp of baseball rules is seeking a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest umpire. One of the defendants, a paralegal, is accused of sending drugs and phones into prison through hollowed out court transcripts, ABC News 4 reports. Last week, deputies seized more than 30,000 grams of the drug fentanyl from a home on Golden Pond Drive in Clover. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? He described Hilton Head Island as a 'transhipment point' in the operation, noting that the island is well-suited for smuggling because of its access to deep water. The task force, in concert with the U.S. Attorneys Office, worked to bring the Gentlemen Smugglers and their associates to justice. He has friends that have died. So far, law enforcement has only publicly said that a large amount of marijuana was discovered at a residence on Canal Street drive in Columbia, S.C. along with cash and a firearm. The 53-year-old sergeants exact cause of death was not released. While law enforcement had tried to catch the smugglers in the past and, in a few instances, succeeded, they were hampered in the 1970s by unsophisticated or nonexistent equipment, insufficient support, and the miles and miles of South Carolina shoreline. U.S. Attorney Henry McMaster stands next to the Dutch Treat, a yacht owned by queenpin Carol Amend until its seizure by the U.S. government under the then-untested legal tactic of civil asset forfeiture. Got a tip for a story? March 3 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Britain responded to a home to rescue a horse that had fallen into its owner's swimming pool and was unable to get itself out. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); South Carolina Grand Jury Indicts 43 In Las Senoritas Drug Ring, Senate Panel Advances Certificate Of Need Repeal, Murdaugh Murders Media Coverage: Access Issues Debated, Child Sexual Assault Allegations Rock Midlands South Carolina Murder Case, Greg Leon Murder Case: Perjury Charge Filed, SLED Agent Incapacitated On Witness Stand After Reported Drug Exposure, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Alex Murdaugh Sentencing Hearing, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Alex Murdaugh Guilty On All Counts, O.J. In the 1970s, kingpins and Columbia natives Les Riley and Barry Foy smuggled an astounding amount of marijuana and hashish into South Carolina, equating $1.8 billion in today's dollars. In college at the University of South Carolina, Les was known to take his dates to the roof of. Investigators alleged the drug operation was linked to a Mexican drug cartel. During the search, agents found suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, buprenorphine, and alprazolam along with digital scales and smoking pipes in the home and in Glover's purse in a car on the property. 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. Piece by piece, the task force identified a web of drug smugglers, half of whom were South Carolina natives. He was really fun to be with. Politics. According to the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office, the owners of the Los Primos restaurant located in Greenville, South Carolina, allegedly ran and facilitated most of the drug trafficking. Sergeant Forsberg was a great father, family man, great person, great friend to those who knew him, and a great law enforcement officer, the tribute read. However, it looks like a lot to us. His upbringing was typical of the South, with plenty of time spent hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. At Henry and Brians suggestion, the two began following the money. It was a winning decision not just for the Operation Jackpot prosecutors but also for the global war on drugs because it would discourage future American drug kingpins from fleeing to those countries to avoid prosecution. Both brothers have been incarcerated at SCDC since 2015 and have allegedly continued trafficking methamphetamine from prison using contraband cell phones. 'We did not make any arrests of users or first-level distributors,' said Verinder. 63 people face drug charges after South Carolina investigation Posted: Mar 31, 2021 / 03:00 PM EDT Updated: Mar 31, 2021 / 03:08 PM EDT SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) - Sixty-three people are facing. , Four more suspects in operation pentagon https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/27/two-more-suspects-custody-operation-pentagon-arrest-tally-now-20/5385106001/. Dubbed "Operation Pentagon," the investigation targeted the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and crack cocaine that has "plagued" the county, Smalls said. Has anyone heard anything? Among those arrested on drug-trafficking and conspiracy charges were three Hilton Head Island residents and five Colombians. Another tip came through phone numbers salvaged from a suspected drug boat scuttled in the Edisto River. Later, he moved into a Hollywood, Florida, beachside hotel frequented by men who participated in, among other activities, drug dealing. The smugglers also borrowed plantations along the coast owned by rich Northerners who rarely visited. Chelsie Marie Anderson, Jennifer Nicole Burns, and Amy Deanna Cobb a/k/a Emma allegedly fled to Mexico in late 2018-2020. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Nine people are facing federal charges after a major drug bust in the Hollywood area of southern Charleston County. National. He was joined at a news conference in Columbia by S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) chief Mark Keel and other authorities. This is the second drug bust along I-95 in Nash County this week. LEXINGTON, S.C. (WIS) - A more than two-year investigation landed 17 people in federal custody as authorities busted a drug trafficking ring in the Midlands. As with anyone accused of committing any crime, the Sears 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 which have been filed against them. The payday for smugglers was double that of marijuana. South Carolina. A major drug bust in upstate South Carolina resulted in 124 charges against 34 defendants allegedly involved with a Mexican cartel trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine in the southeast. Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins said in thestatement, This was a very large scale organized drug operation that allegedly was trafficking kilograms of drugs every week into Greenville County,, The hard work and dedication of the Greenville Drug Enforcement Unit, SLED, and the South Carolina State Grand Jury has significantly decreased the availability of drugs in the Greenville Community and arrested some of its worst drug dealers., Aristocrat Constance Marten and Sex-Offender Mark Gordon's Missing Baby Found Dead in Countryside, Cops Say, GOP Legislator Introduces Bill That Would Eliminate Florida's Democratic Party, Florida Student, 17, Who Attacked Teacher to Be Tried as Adult, Woman Convicted in Connection to Lady Gaga Dognapping Sues Singer for $500,000 Reward Money, 5 Ballet Dancers Seriously Injured in California Hit-and-Run Car Crash Strive to Heal to Return to the Stage, 17-Year-Old Michigan Boy Slain by 13-Year-Old and 14-Year-Old Who He Offered Ride Home on Cold Night: Police. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass player and a dive bar bouncer. Mario Pacella 1612 Newcastle, Suite 201 Brunswick GA 31520 (912) 264-6465 (Phone) (877) 787-6652 (Toll-Free) (912) 264-2470 (Fax) Centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. Tolson said the amount of fentanyl recovered in the bust was enough to kill every person in York County. 2023 Columbia Metropolitan. Patty Roberts is not mincing her words when speaking on fentanyl. He spent his free time between classes his senior year burning up the road between Columbia and Key West, Florida, where he worked as a doorman. The statement on theinvestigation revealed alleged connections to Mexican drug trafficking cartels operating in South Carolina and Georgia. For those who want the full story of this local legend, Jackpot is a something-for-everyone kind of tale. Investigators have also seized 20 kilograms of meth, 5 kilos of heroin, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, and 82 firearms. According to arrest records, 33-year-old Geoffrey Sears was charged with manufacturing marijuana while 39-year-old Jonathan Sears was charged with possession with intent to distribute and a separate charge of possession with intent to distribute in close proximity to a school. Got a tip for a story? He spent his free time his senior year burning up the road between Columbia and Key West, where he worked as a doorman and eventually met his partner in crime, Barry Foy, in 1973. With each trip, Barry and Les learned more about the smuggling business. Cape Fear Bust: 20 arrests, 50 weapons, 10,000 grams of narcotics. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - According to the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Columbia Violent Gang Task Force, nine people were indicted Tuesday for drug . The two men were nicknamed the Gentlemen Smugglers given their standards and college education. Bob Duncan said, 'It will be studied in law enforcement academies for many semesters on how this went so smoothly. Given their standards and their college educations, the two men were nicknamed the Gentlemen Smugglers.. Barry Foy followed his prison time with a career in real estate and construction. 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. The investigation and prosecution is known as Operation Jackpot, which was chronicled in a book called Jackpot: High Times, High Seas, and the Sting That Launched the War on Drugs by Jason Ryan. While law enforcement had tried to catch the smugglers in the past and, in a few instances, succeeded, they were hampered in the 1970s by unsophisticated or nonexistent equipment, insufficient support, and the miles and miles of South Carolina shoreline. When the hospital drug tested Paul the night of the boating accident, there were no drugs in his system. In a case reaching both sides of the Rio Grande, 43 Upstate drug trafficking defendants now face a total of 170 charges after being indicted by the South Carolina statewide grand jury. No way drug dealers did this imo . Reflecting back, Governor McMaster says, It was virtually impossible to catch them in the act. ago 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. Especially, when it is quite literally close to home. North Carolina. Soldiers would sometimes even help load drugs onto the boats and then, once they were clear of land, fighting resumed. Here is the full video of the press conference . Will Folksis the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Typical agency turf wars were not allowed; anyone who refused to play nice was excused from the team. 8,333 people were booked in the last 30 days (Order: Booking Date ) First Prev He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Operation Jackpot used what was then a new approach: Focusing on the identification and seizure of illicit wealth, then tracing it back to the smugglers bringing tons of marijuana and Lebanese. The man, now-identified as Detric McGowan, was arrested Tuesday morning in a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) drug bust, reports CBS South Carolina affiliate WSPA-TV. CLICK HERE. Assistant United States Attorneys Cam Currie, Bob Jendron, Cam Littlejohn, and Bart Daniel assisted in the effort both by helping with asset identification and seizure and with prying criminals out of the countries where they were hiding. Listen online or download the iHeart App. We decided to figure out who they were and catch them at home. With this new approach, the task force leveled the playing field. 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 . These are low level dealers. Kentucky man stops for breakfast, wins $50,000 lottery prize. McGowan is accused. David and Chuck fed questions to her for the kingpin and used the information to set a trap. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. ( WCSC /Gray News) - Authorities in South Carolina say a youth pastor is facing more than a dozen assault charges for inappropriately touching young girls. The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office announced that three people were recently charged after over 20 pounds of methamphetamine was found during a narcotics investigation. Folks, if this was a bag full of terrorists, if this was anthrax, our response would be overwhelming. 'In layman's terms, this is enough cocaine for every man, woman, and child in South Carolina to get high at least one time,' he said. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? Coast Guard Cmdr. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. While Columbia police referenced an ongoing investigation in the statement they provided to the Post and Courier, the paper declined to provide its readers with any additional information as to what that inquiry might entail. A major drug bust in upstate South Carolina resulted in 124 charges against 34 defendants allegedly involved with a Mexican cartel trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine in the southeast.