A federal grand jury in Columbia charged six people with multiple counts related to drug trafficking, according to an April 15 announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The indictment follows a Homeland Security Task Force investigation focused on cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana distribution in Sumter and Lee counties.
The charges were brought against Lorenzo Blackwell of Bishopville; Marquis Quintell Durant, Marcus Martenez McConico, Kalvin Clay Singletary, and Perry Sherrod Taft of Sumter; and Nikennia Fatese Carter of Bishopville. All six defendants were arraigned in federal court.
Law enforcement recovered significant amounts of illegal drugs and several firearms during the investigation. The operation was also part of the FBI's Operation Spring Cleaning initiative targeting violent gangs and drug activity. "This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion," according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release. "The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad." The office further said that HSTF efforts focus on crimes involving children as well as prosecuting violent criminal aliens.
The FBI Columbia Field Office led the investigation with support from several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, local police departments from Sumter County and city police forces as well as assistance from FBI Charlotte Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting this case.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina manages criminal prosecutions, civil cases and collections for the federal government according to its official website. It represents communities across South Carolina through offices located in Columbia, Charleston, Florence and Greenville according to its official website. The office employs a team of 120 prosecutors and support professionals who handle both criminal prosecutions as well as civil litigation according to its official website.
All charges are accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
