GREENVILLE, S.C. — Dana Diane Shay, a 37-year-old woman from Fountain Valley, California, faced the federal bench after being caught with over 100 pounds of meth and pot in her cross-country drug trafficking spree. The grim headlines began when Shay was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence laid bare by the court revealed that in 2020, Shay was a central figure in a drug trafficking conspiracy that stretched from California to South Carolina. She delivered a massive 29 pounds of meth to Charlotte, North Carolina on November 25, 2020, followed by another delivery of 50 pounds of meth and 45 pounds of marijuana on December 7, 2020.
Despite being charged with federal drug trafficking in December 2020 and arraigned in Greenville, where she was placed on bond, Shay’s criminal saga took an ominous turn. She cut off her ankle monitor and became a fugitive in August 2021. The woman remained at large until her eventual arrest out of state in August 2024. Her sentence was increased due to her flight from justice.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins didn’t mince words, sentencing Dana Shay to 204 months imprisonment followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. The court also imposed a substantial money judgment against her, totaling $300,000.
This sentence comes as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation that has been relentless in identifying and dismantling criminal networks like the one Shay was part of.
The investigation into Shay’s activities was a multifaceted effort involving Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, multiple sheriff’s offices, and local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen led the prosecution of this case.
Related Federal Cases
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
- Rock Hill Duo Get 20+ Years for Drug & Money Scheme · North Carolina
- Rock Hill Drug Kingpin Sentenced for Fentanyl Ring · North Carolina
- Gun Traffickers from South Carolina Sentenced to Federal Prison · North Carolina
- Gun Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison in South Carolina · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News