Federal authorities have sentenced 18 individuals connected to a North Charleston drug trafficking organization to a combined total of 144 years in prison. The sentences follow an extended investigation by the Low Country Violent Crime Task Force, which targeted a street gang operating in a North Charleston neighborhood.
According to officials, Fredrick McCray led the gang’s drug distribution operations and supplied members with fully automatic machine guns for protection against rival groups. Cornelius Walker was identified as McCray’s main enforcer, while Tyrone Cox acted as the primary supplier. The group reportedly used an abandoned community center as their base for narcotics activity.
Law enforcement seized three 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 during the investigation.
The sentences included:
– Fredrick Wendell McCray: 30 years for multiple drug and firearm offenses.
– Tyrone Cox: 25 years for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related charges.
– Cornelius Walker: 15 years for conspiracy and weapons violations.
– Quinton Antonio McClain: 12.5 years for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
– Warren Lamar Forrest: 12 years on separate firearm and drug charges.
– Angel Joaquin Flores: 10 years for conspiracy involving methamphetamine and marijuana.
– Kevin William Dukes: 10 years for conspiracy to distribute multiple drugs.
– Kendrick Smalls: Seven years for conspiracy, firearm possession, and related offenses.
– Kenneth Roger Brown: Six years for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
– Earl Allen: Five years for conspiracy and weapon-related charges.
– Santerio Bernard Maurice Smith: Four and a half years on separate firearms indictments.
– Da’Shawn Marquis Richards: Four years on separate firearm charges.
– Terrell Kurt Myers: Two years for conspiracy involving several drugs.
– Demetric Gantt: One and a half years for crack cocaine distribution offenses.
– Clayton Thomas: Three months on a separate false statement indictment regarding firearm purchase.
– Tyrone Wilson, LaJustin Williams, Tyrone Peterson: Sentenced to time served on various drug-related charges.
The case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF works through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to target major criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and related crimes. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the FBI’s Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force; ATF; Homeland Security Investigations; several sheriff’s offices; local police departments; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; and the Charleston County Aviation Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi prosecuted the case.
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