COLUMBIA, S.C. – In a shocking turn of events, a high-stakes heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana trafficking ring was dismantled in Columbia, South Carolina, with six key players facing the music in federal court.
According to sources, Marcus Antonio Ashford, 44, of Columbia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Ashford, identified as the leader of the ring, was responsible for trafficking nearly one kilogram of heroin, 31 grams of fentanyl, and multiple kilograms of marijuana between September 2019 and July 2020.
Debra Ann Thomas, 69, of Hopkins, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
The evidence presented in court showed that Ashford was the mastermind behind the operation, with Thomas serving as a key distributor. Jemica Octavia Maxwell, 42, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and marijuana.
Tremeka R. Myers, 50, of Columbia, received five years of probation after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin. Rashad Naheem Myers, 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Shaquan Maxwell, 26, of Columbia, received more than two years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
The investigation, which began in September 2019, involved a series of controlled buys and surveillance. Law enforcement found that the ring was operating in and around Columbia, with the Myers’ home serving as a location for co-conspirators to prepare heroin for sale.
The controlled buys and related investigation revealed that Ashford and his organization were responsible for trafficking nearly one kilogram of heroin, 31 grams of fentanyl, and multiple kilograms of marijuana over approximately two years.
In a separate incident, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car belonging to Ashford and driven by Jemica Maxwell, resulting in the discovery of 2.7 kilograms of marijuana.
The investigation culminated in October 2020, with law enforcement executing search warrants at several homes around Columbia. The search warrants yielded a quantity of marijuana, equipment for preparing heroin for sale, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and ammunition.
Ashford, Thomas, Maxwell, Tremeka R. Myers, Rashad Naheem Myers, and Shaquan Maxwell are all currently serving their sentences or awaiting the outcome of their cases.
The Columbia Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina all contributed to the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Ashford, Thomas, Maxwell, Tremeka R. Myers, Rashad Naheem Myers, and Shaquan Maxwell are all currently serving their sentences or awaiting the outcome of their cases.
The case is a stark reminder of the dangers and consequences of drug trafficking, and the importance of law enforcement working together to dismantle these operations.
The investigation and prosecution of this case serves as a warning to those involved in similar activities: the law will catch up to you, and the consequences will be severe.
Ashford, Thomas, Maxwell, Tremeka R. Myers, Rashad Naheem Myers, and Shaquan Maxwell are all currently serving their sentences or awaiting the outcome of their cases.
Related Federal Cases
- Eleven Charged in Heroin, Cocaine, and Fentanyl Trafficking, South Carolina 2019 · Washington
- Tyquan Raheem Bellamy, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, South Carolina 2022 · Texas
- Jalik Shykeil Tucker, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, South Carolina 2023 · South Carolina
- William Justin Marshall, Fentanyl Trafficking, South Carolina 2023 · Georgia
- Robert Mansfield, Fentanyl Trafficking, South Carolina 2017 · Georgia
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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