Illinois readers may be interested to learn that two Texas men have been convicted of running a major drug-trafficking operation out of South Carolina. As a result, they could each be sentenced to life in prison.
A 12-person jury unanimously found the defendants, ages 23 and 30, guilty of conspiracy to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the pair rented a room at an expensive beachfront resort in Myrtle Beach and used that room to distribute over 50 kilograms of cocaine between January and November 2017. Most of the drugs were stored in modest residential homes in the Fayetteville, North Carolina area. Inside the houses, armed men guarded the cocaine and sold it to other drug dealers. Some of those dealers reportedly traveled from as far away as Washington, D.C..
The defendants’ hotel room was raided by federal and local law enforcement agencies on Nov. 5, 2017. During the search, officers found a small amount of cocaine and over $143,000 in cash. Due to having a previous drug conviction on his record, the 30-year-old defendant faces 20 years to life in prison. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old defendant faces 10 years to life in prison. The case was investigated by officers from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the North Myrtle Beach Police Department. The case was assisted by officers from the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fayetteville Police Department.
Individuals arrested on drug charges don’t have to face the court system alone. A criminal defense attorney might help protect a defendant’s rights throughout the legal process. Legal counsel may also be able to review the evidence and develop a defense strategy designed to get the charges reduced or dismissed.
Source: WBTW, “2 Texas men convicted of trafficking cocaine through Myrtle Beach, facing possible life sentences,” Oct. 19, 2018
