Soeuth Ath, Methamphetamine Trafficking, California 2016

Anderson, South Carolina – In a shocking turn of events, two Spartanburg brothers, Soeuth Ath, 46, and Sean Ath, 54, were among five men sentenced to federal prison for their roles in bi-coastal methamphetamine, marijuana, and money laundering conspiracies.

According to sources, the Ath brothers were convicted by a federal jury after a week-long trial in January. Evidence showed that in 2016, a number of mail packages containing methamphetamine shipped from California to Spartanburg were intercepted by the United States Postal Inspector.

A law enforcement investigation revealed that a group of individuals in the Spartanburg area with ties to Fresno and Bakersfield, California, were obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana from sources in California via the U.S. Mail. During the course of the conspiracy, the defendants received over 22 kilograms of high purity methamphetamine and at least 15 kilograms of marijuana for distribution in the Upstate of South Carolina.

From April 2016 through January 2017, the defendants laundered at least $196,500 in drug trafficking proceeds from South Carolina to California.

The convictions are the result of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program. The OCDETF Program is a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Its principal mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug-trafficking organizations primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Soeuth Ath to life in federal prison and Sean Ath to 151 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

The other defendants, who pleaded guilty to federal drug and money laundering charges, received the following sentences: Virig Chheng, 30, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 328 months in federal prison, followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. Raymond Soeng, 33, of Boiling Springs, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. Vilay Phabmisay, 25, of Bakersfield, California, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison, followed by five years of court-ordered supervision.

Two defendants, Anthony Pan, 23, of Bakersfield, and Junior Choeun, 24, of Spartanburg, await sentencing.

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