U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy, for the District of South Carolina, announced Monday that 30 Horry County and Myrtle Beach areadrug traffickers all pleaded guiltyand have been sentenced in federal court. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - More than two dozen people have been charged with federal drug conspiracy and firearms charges stemming from a drug trafficking organization that operated in the. firearms and 784 rounds of ammunition during the searches. Coastal Carolina University Department of Public Safety is pleased to have been involved with this important investigation., Copyright 2023, All Rights Reserved | MyrtleBeachSC.com News | Contact us at [emailprotected] Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, We'd love to hear eyewitness var field59 = field59 || {}; Thank you to all of the Little River and Horry County neighbors and visitors who have assisted in this effort, Horry County Police Department said in a statement. Teen Pleads Guilty To 2021 Myrtle Beach Hotel Shooting, Investigation Discovered Details Of Crash That Killed Two Members Of UGA Football Program, Fitness Friday: Next Level Mobility Shares Movements That Can Help with Spine Health. Operation Broken Branch was a much-needed enforcement operation in a rural area of Horry County plagued by illegal narcotics sales.. On Nov. 23, Zuri Mitch Stephens, 21, of Longs, was arrested after HCPD detectives were notified that he had warrants for attempted murder, stemming from an alleged recent shooting. Police worked with local, state and federal authorities to make the arrests. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. The wiretap investigation was quarterbacked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in concert with the other agencies, who offered comments on the successful operation: FBI Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic, This latest sentencing signifies the end of this drug organization. Harry Bellamy, 41, of Myrtle Beach is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 28 grams of cocaine base, and a quantity of marijuana. The case was prosecuted by OCDETF Lead Task Force Attorney Everett McMillian, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as Deputy Solicitor for 15th Circuit Solicitors Office. Does body language of Murdaugh reveal guilt, lack of grief? Public safety is a shared We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. that is degrading to another person. The Myrtle Beach Police Department arrested seven people Thursday night in a drug operation in the Booker T. Weapons, drugs, cash seized in Northeast Georgia drug bust. Master Corporal Thomas Vest said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provided a helicopter to assist the investigation. In 2020 and 2021, Operation New Optix resulted in drug charges against 34 defendants, 22 of whom have pled guilty to date. Horry County police charged two people from Myrtle Beach with possession with intent to distribute heroin after a narcotics investigation yielded more than a pound of fentanyl and nearly $300,000 . All rights reserved. Additional information can be found on the docket of the United States District Court, Criminal Case Numbers 4:20-CR-189 and 4:20-CR-490. Last 30 Days. All. This investigation is the latest in a series of joint state/federal operations aimed at curbing violent crime and drug overdoses in the Myrtle Beach area. Wells Fargo Building The people featured on this site may not have been convicted of the charges or crimes listed and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Four people were arrested after a 'lengthy' investigation into the sale of drugs on the north end of Myrtle Beach. Official websites use .gov 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. A lock ( 3 in US with the most rural hospital, Keep an eye out for hellbender, mudpuppy salamanders, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Michael Quantrell Barr, 29, of Myrtle Beach Unlawful Carry of a ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. or anything. 45 year old Jamie Green of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, 42 year old James Kearney of Myrtle Beach, 30 year old Claudia Pieterse of Conway and 35 year old Zachary Stell of Murrells Inlet were all arrested on Wednesday. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. } 5:47. Operation Broken Branch was a much-needed enforcement operation in a rural area of Horry County plagued by illegal narcotics sales., 15th Circuit Solicitors Office, Drug Enforcement Unit Commander Dean Bishop commented and said This demonstrates how the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office Drug Enforcement Unit, along with our partners, will serve our communities by focusing on violent drug traffickers.. Bellamy was released after posting bonds that totaled $27,000, according to court records. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who all played a vital role in bringing this case to a successful closure. Police in Florida issued arrest warrants for over 100 members of a suspected drug gang on Wednesday . The initial press releases about this matter is available here. Firearm, Felon in Possession of a Handgun, PWID Heroin 2nd Offense, To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. The Cedar Branch drug trafficking organization was an interstate conspiracy that was involved in the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and firearms. They were indicted based on a federal wiretap investigation into narcotics and violence in the Myrtle Beach area. The investigation was a multi-year, collaborative effort by several agencies including the Horry County Police Department, Horry County Sheriffs Office, 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Conway Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, United States Marshals Service, United States Postal Inspection Service and the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office. Lock Obituaries. "Over the course of the investigation, agents with the HCPD narcotics and street crimes units conducted countless hours of surveillance, which ultimately led to a search warrant on March 9, 2022, at the home on Silvercrest Drive in unincorporated Horry County," the department said. wb. Agents with DEAs Florence Resident Office quarterbacked this investigation with significant participation from the following agencies: Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department, North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety, Florence County Sheriffs Office, Horry County Sheriffs Office, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), United States Marshals Service,and the Kingstree Police Department. Have a question about Government Services? These city leaders continue to dodge accountability. Chief Amy Prock said As we said before, Myrtle Beach is not a safe haven for criminals. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. She is originally from Kentucky, and now lives in Myrtle Beach. DUI, drug charges result from safety checkpoint by SC police agencies in Myrtle Beach. All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users, and in no way reflect the views or opinions of this site's operators. He also covered Miami-Dade and Broward County for WLRN, South Floridas NPR station.He is an award-winning journalist who has reported throughout South Florida and New York City. Chief Gary Buley said With our continued support we continue to battle the drugs and make a big difference in our community. Follow Nicole Ziege on Twitter @NicoleZiege. Police opened the investigation in January after "receiving information indicating that the suspects were receiving multiple pill presses at their residence," the police department said in a Facebook post. Dates, what you need to know, 8 things we learned from the Tyler Doyle 911 calls, Person shot inside business in Forestbrook area leads to related death investigation. The defendants in these cases were all participants in this drug conspiracy. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Check the conditions with our Live Eye 9 cameras, Listen to 9OYS on 107.9 FM, 96.3 FM & 103.7 FM, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? Together, we create a safer community to call our home.. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The bag allegedly contained 18 grams of crack cocaine, 26 grams of heroin and a 9mm handgun, according to police. No bail has been set yet. Florence:(843) 665-6688. Authorities seized over $62,000 and 600 grams of heroin in a drug bust near Myrtle Beach on May 5, 2020. Police announced the raid of a Northampton home that had an estimated .. drug arrest news stories - get the latest updates from ABC11.. 25 lbs of cocaine, guns, $350K seized during NYC narcotics raid. Additionally, Bellamy was charged with cocaine trafficking, after police allegedly found 11 grams of crack cocaine in his hand. 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. Your daily source for local and state news serving Charleston County, Dorchester County and Berkeley County. Henceforth, the region would be known as "The Beach," or so the chamber hoped. It was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go in the media from being a grieving father who lost a wife and a son to being the person indicted and convicted of killing them, Judge Clifton Newman said to Alex Murdaugh Friday. Stephens remains in J. Reuben Long Detention Center and has a January bond hearing scheduled. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Read moreFolly Beach allocated renourishment funds to supply 90,000 dump truck loads worth of sand, Post and Courier Myrtle Beach 1165 N. Fraser Street, Unit 12A Its members were supplied with controlled substances from multiple interstate sources of supply, including one with direct ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) from Jalisco, Mexico. This charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to Life imprisonment. PWID Crack Cocaine 2nd Offense, Possession of a Schedule Drug, Simple Our agency is continuing their work to make Myrtle Beach safer and to stop the sale of drugs that poison our community. Murphy told CNN affiliate WSB that it is by far the biggest heroin seizure in Georgia's . Twenty of the accused have been processes and booked. Attorney Stuart Axelrod, who is representingDunaway, declined to comment on the charges. No further information is available at this time. No claims to the accuracy of this information are made. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. In that apartment, investigators found 11.2 pounds of heroin, 1.8 pounds of fentanyl, 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 4.9 pounds of marijuana, 528 oxycodone pills, and six guns. var field59 = field59 || {}; Yesterday Bookings. . Today's takedown marks the latest major drug bust in the OAG's Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New York's growing and often violent heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Authorities estimate the value of the drugs at $8.5 million. Mainly sunny. field59.ipo = { The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Pedro Hettenhouser on drug-bust-yesterday. The organization was based in the Cedar Branch area of Horry County, and had ties across the state line into North Carolina, a release from the district said. nziege@postandcourier.com, $4.6M in federal funds will help expand 3 parks along SC's Black River, St. James boys basketball head coach Chris Tibbits removed from coaching positions, New Conway football HC Josh Pierce wants to use weight room, recruiting to build program, Folly Beach allocated renourishment funds to supply 90,000 dump truck loads worth of sand, The Berkeley Independent - Moncks Corner, SC, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison after conviction in double-murder trial, Myrtle Beach International Airport expanding parking ahead of busy summer season, SC's fastest-growing county could hire more police to shorten emergency response times, Myrtle Beach, Horry County officials have no plans to change beach shade rules in 2023, SLED charges SC man with attempted murder of a Conway police officer, Alex Murdaughs double murder trial leaves enduring mysteries, even after guilty verdict, The Charleston Show reveals archaeological finds within layers of soil and history, For College of Charleston, 'deck is stacked' against at-large bid to March Madness. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Horry County Police Department allegedly retrieved multiple illegally possessed handguns, pictured, during a months-long investigation into Little River drug activity this year. Members were supplied with controlled substances from multiple interstate sources of supply, including one with direct ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) from Jalisco, Mexico, according to the attorneys office release. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina, Thirty Horry County Gang Members and Drug Trafficking Associates with Ties to Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced in Federal Court, Columbia Man Sentenced to a Total of 10 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm and Drug Charges, California Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Columbia Man Affiliated with Street Gang Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug Offenses, Thirty Horry County Gang Members and Drug Trafficking Associates With Ties To Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced In Federal Court, Teontric Jackson, 30, of Loris 180 months, Darrell Jackson, 48, of Myrtle Beach 120 months, Lisa Garcia, 50, of Delano, CA 120 months, Angelo Jackson, 25, of Loris 108 months, Timothy Long, 40, of Tabor City, NC 100 months, Winferd Sherman, 24, of Loris 72 months, Shaquan Hemingway, 23, of Loris 70 months, Phillip Johnson, 29, of Loris 57 months, Devante Squires, 27, of Loris 36 months, Alfredo Gore, 43, of Tabor City, NC 24 months, Bradley Griffin, 36, of Longwood, NC 22 months, Tyruss Hemingway, 21, of Loris 15 months, James Riggins, 44, of Tabor City, NC 12 months, Lateice Griffin, 30, of Longwood, NC, Montel Hyppolite, 23, of Loris, Robert Attaway, 37, of Myrtle Beach, Mildred Mann, 44, of Little River, Billie Lee Green, 60, of Loris, and Kenneth Nobles, 31, of Loris, all received sentences under a year.