Nearly a dozen people indicted on Federal charges of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl trafficking

Greenville, SC (WOLO) — U.S Attorney Sheri Lydon says eleven people face charges for their participation in what the state is calling a “wide ranging conspiracy” to import and possess heroin, cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute in addition to other alleged offenses.

According to attorney’s handling the case after a more than year long investigation, on February 19th, 2019 the Federal Grand jury returned a sealed 22 count indictment against eleven defendants claiming they planned to smuggle drugs from Mexico and distribute them throughout the state of South Carolina. One part of that indictment alleges that in October of 2018, four of the suspects were working on a plan to smuggle more than 1 million dollars in cash from South Carolina to an unnamed place outside of the U.S. in exchange for the controlled substances.

Lydon released a statement saying in part,  “Today’s indictment is yet another example of the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina to disrupting and dismantling the flow of illegal opioids and other narcotics into our state,”

Below is a list of the individuals charged in the case, all of them facing a maximum of life in prison and fines. Officials say one additional person remains at large.

• Detric Lee McGowan, aka “Fat”, 46, of Piedmont, South Carolina
• Donald Nathaniel Thomas, Jr. a/k/a, “TJ”, 36, of Greenwood, South Carolina
• Christopher Jerome Cunningham, 38, of Greenwood, South Carolina
• Richard Lamond Longshore, 46, of Greenwood, South Carolina 
• Celest Henry Blocker, 67, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Eddie Lee Childs, 49, of Simpsonville, South Carolina
• Trevor Maurice Hull, 51, of Greenwood, South Carolina
• Danny Morales Lopez, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina

According to officials the two individuals listed below are facing a maximum of five years in prison:

• Shequita Latoya Holloway, 34, of Greenwood, South Carolina

• Lauren Brooke Poore, 35, of Piedmont, South Carolina