Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. His upbringing was typical of the South, with plenty of time spent hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. Even though task force members cooperated with one another, their superiors sometimes tried to throw up turf-related roadblocks. Ultimately, Operation Jackpot would indict four smuggling rings operating in South Carolina. A drop in the bucket compared to whats out there, she said. Will Folksis the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. 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. Georgia. I believe the drug smuggling is discussed in Podcast Episodes 31 and 32. If there is a drug connection to Alex, he would definitely be the big fish in the region. Attorney general Alan Wilson announced the indictments on Thursday. 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. The payday for smugglers was double that of marijuana. Forty-three co-conspirators are charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. It was unprecedented for the agencies to share information, much less work together and out of the same office. His loved ones and his BSO family will forever carry on his legacy.. All rights reserved. March 3 (UPI) -- A sheep spotted wandering loose on a British highway was given a lift back to its owner by a concerned bus driver on her first day on the job. David and Chuck fed questions to her for the kingpin and used the information to set a trap. Large drug bust in Hampton County (for those of you who believe drugs played a role in the murders). 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 todays dollars. However, it looks like a lot to us. The story is utterly fantastic, with a list of villains so long one has trouble keeping up with them all. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District N.C. Michael Easley announces at the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office the arrest of 20 . Jonathan Sears who owns or co-owns a lengthy list of Columbia establishments including The Bird Dog, The Cotton Gin, The Gourmet Shop, Hendrix, Jakes Bar and Pavlovs was arrested along with his relative, Geoffrey Sears, on Blossom Street last Thursday by officers of the Columbia, S.C. police department (CPD). 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. Les bought a home on Hilton Head, as well as other property, and used it for offloading his merchandise. Typical agency turf wars were not allowed; anyone who refused to play nice was excused from the team. They were executed with premeditation. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? The Delhi Police on Wednesday destroyed over 2,800 kgs of . India News | Press Trust of India | Wednesday December 21, 2022. Barry Foy followed his prison time with a career in real estate and construction. As with all cases, all the defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the criminal justice system, or until such times as each 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. Military Digest Charleston man saved. Forsbergs death in a Facebook post several days later. SCDNR never sought a warrant to compel the hospital to draw Pauls blood that night, but the hospital did anyway The doctor said that no drugs were found in Pauls system.. 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. I highly suggest you watch Mandy Matneys Murdaugh Murders Podcast - especially those about Alexs possible connection to drugs smuggling along the east coast. March 2 (UPI) -- A Florida woman earned a Guinness World Record when she completed 23 ultra-marathon runs -- 31.1 miles -- in a 23-day period. The thought immediately went through my mind that I wonder if they were responsible for his death, said Roberts. This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://bluelivesmatter.blue and its author. York County, SC. In time, the drug trade grew crowded in South Florida. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! 'For the most part, these drugs were not headed for South Carolina,' he said. Chelsie Marie Anderson, Jennifer Nicole Burns, and Amy Deanna Cobb a/k/a Emma allegedly fled to Mexico in late 2018-2020. Politics. 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. Dubbed "Operation Pentagon," the investigation targeted the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and crack cocaine that has "plagued" the county, Smalls said. I believe it was his girlfriend, Morgan Doughty, that said he used cocaine on multiple occasions during her sworn deposition. The attorney general's office said a "substantial portion" of the drugs seized in Atlanta were intended for South Carolina. 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. Defendant Kelli Edwards allegedly fled in October 2022. Tom Rhoad died in March 2005 after suffering an aneurysm. He has other friends that have died as well. The investigation and prosecution is known as Operation Jackpot, which was chronicled in a book called, Les Riley grew up just a few miles from downtown Columbia. Finally, having an accessible and secluded place to offload was vital. 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. On the other side are the avengers the scores of investigators and prosecutors that read like a whos who of South Carolina legal minds. We are forever indebted to his brave service and pray that he will Rest In Peace.. 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. South Carolina drug bust catches Charleston college drug ring pushing cocaine, Ecstasy and Xanax By Tobias Salinger NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jun 24, 2016 at 8:06 pm Nine young people arrested as. But where are the principals in this drama now? Im his mother what else would I say. Her son, Adam, fell victim to the drug. Operation Jackpot was a federal drug task force based in South Carolina that captured and convicted more than 100 marijuana smugglers from 1983 to 1986 during President Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs. They stored it in monetary safe havens around the world but also spent it on homes, cars, and nice vacations. The case is referred to as "Prison Empire," one of the state's largest narcotics conspiracy investigations ever indicted. represent clients in a variety of civil and criminal matters. All theories are just as valid for the time being. The task force used a 1978 amendment to the United States civil forfeiture provisions allowing the seizure of drug-related offenders property before conviction or without any conviction at all. According to the release, the investigation in total from both locations seized large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine including some mixed with fentanyl, marijuana, xanax, multiple firearms, and $63,000. Published: Dec. 10, 2021 at 4:07 PM PST. They felt guns were unnecessary and, in fact, invited violence. 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. At Henry and Brians suggestion, the two began following the money. A 30-month long ordeal ensued as the Australian court wrestled with whether the two could be extradited on a drug kingpin charge. 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. Another tip came through phone numbers salvaged from a suspected drug boat scuttled in the Edisto River. He was joined at a news conference in Columbia by S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) chief Mark Keel and other authorities. Others, including Barry and Les, were harder to bring in. Les and another defendant, Wally Butler, were found living in Australia and arrested on May 5, 1983. On Monday (March 8) South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said that, so far, 100 people are facing 297 counts and 487 charges total, News 19 reports. 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. An eight-month investigation at a South Carolina prison has resulted in the confiscation of more than 100 pounds of contraband and 20 arrests, the state's department of corrections announced . "Theres much more volume flowing into our communities. Got a tip for a story? The defendants, mostly from South Carolina, were traced to alleged narcotics operations through a 'paper trail' of bank drafts, passports and other documents. The smugglers also borrowed plantations along the coast owned by rich Northerners who rarely visited. He was also a member of the cast of A&Es The First 48, where he and his team raced to solve murders immediately after crimes are committed. pic.twitter.com/d7G9ESlzUY, Florida Police Benevolent Association (@FL_PBA) January 30, 2023. Many of the smugglers and kingpins evaded arrest for years, resulting in manhunts across the United States and world through the early and mid-1980s, and captures in Antigua, Australia, Miami, New York, and San Diego. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The product was better and fetched a higher price. Bob Byers got a 25-year sentence plus eight years for his escape. . 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. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. 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. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family Broward Sheriffs Office Sergeant Kevin Forsberg, both blood and blue. Tolson said the amount of fentanyl recovered in the bust was enough to kill every person in York County. Wilkins said the amount of drugs flowing through upstate South Carolina is at the highest level he's ever seen. Wild as it seems, the story is true. Thats so many kids that could have died. SCDC Inmates Darrell Foster McCoy, Jr. a/k/a DJ and Matthew David McCoy have been involved in drug trafficking since 2011. 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. Consider it one of the more comic scenes in an $850 million drug-smuggling saga that rocked the South Carolina Lowcountry in the early 1980s. Reflecting back, Governor McMaster says, It was virtually impossible to catch them in the act. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. For those who want the full story of this local legend. McClellanvilles creeks were popular, too. McGowan is accused. A wall in the back of the room filled with pictures of young people in the same situation. ago SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (WSPA) - Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright announced Thursday charges for 53 suspects during their Operation Repeat Offender drug operation. Other choices included an abandoned oyster shelling company on Hilton Head and West Bank Plantation on Edisto Island, owned by Ella Seabrook, grandmother of Barry and Les friend, Skip Sanders. 'These definitely are major players.'. Banned items included crack cocaine, knives, tobacco, guns, phones, and even candy. 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. The sheriff added that 87 people have lost their lives to fentanyl so far in 2022. The first of three trials began in Charleston before U.S. District Court Judge Falcon B. Hawkins, Jr., even while asset seizures, indictments, and arrest efforts continued with the other smugglers. We are forever indebted to his brave service and pray that he will Rest In Peace. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. 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. Email him at mark@fitsnews.com. Piece by piece, the task force identified a web of drug smugglers, half of whom were South Carolina natives. The 53-year-old sergeants exact cause of death was not released. Click this link for the original source of this article. 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. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including the above-pictured Washington Senators lid).
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