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North Charleston Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced

Source: US FBI

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A North Charleston organized crime ring has been successfully prosecuted and sentenced. Eighteen defendants received a total of 144 years in federal prison.

The case arose from a long-term wiretap investigation conducted by the Low Country Violent Crime Task Force. The investigation targeted a violent street gang and their associates operating in a North Charleston neighborhood. Fredrick McCray, leader of the street gang, directed drug distribution operations and armed his gang members with fully automatic machine guns to protect their territory from rival gangs and drug traffickers. Cornelius Walker was one of the gang’s primary enforcers and acted as McCray’s right-hand man. Tyrone Cox served as the organization’s primary drug supplier. The gang used an abandoned community center as a central hub for narcotics distribution.

In total, the investigation resulted in the seizure of 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 700 grams of marijuana, 500 grams of crack cocaine, 26 firearms – including four fully automatic machineguns – and $70,000 in cash.

  • Fredrick Wendell McCray, 44, of North Charleston was sentenced to 30 years for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, and heroin, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
  • Tyrone Cox, 44, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 25 years for conspiring to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon.
  • Cornelius Walker, 21, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 15 years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Quinton Antonio McClain, 35, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 12.5 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Warren Lamar Forrest, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced to 12 years in a separate indictment for felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
  • Angel Joaquin Flores, 34, of California, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and marijuana and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Kevin William Dukes, 39, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Kendrick Smalls, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to seven years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Kenneth Roger Brown, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to six years for conspiring to distribute cocaine and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.  
  • Earl Allen, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Santerio Bernard Maurice Smith, 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to four and a half years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a machinegun.
  • Da’Shawn Marquis Richards, 26, of North Charleston, was sentenced to four years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon.
  • Terrell Kurt Myers, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to two years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Demetric Gantt, 46, of North Charleston, was sentenced to one and half years for conspiring to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Clayton Thomas, 22, of North Charleston, was sentenced to three months in a separate indictment for knowingly make a false statement when purchasing a firearm.
  • Tyrone Wilson, 63, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon.
  • LaJustin Williams, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
  • Tyrone Peterson, 63 of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 50o or more grams of methamphetamine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Summerville Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.

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