Spencer Johnson, Heroin Trafficking, NY 2023

Spencer Johnson, 27, and Frank Truitt, 27, both members of the Billies East Side Bloods — a violent set of the United Blood Nation — were sentenced to 87 and 71 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a cross-state heroin and firearms conspiracy that stretched from South Carolina to New York.

The sentencing, handed down in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, marks the latest blow to the entrenched gang network operating in the Myrtle Beach and Florence corridors. Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges involving drugs and firearms, with prosecutors detailing a ruthless operation fueled by stolen guns and lethal narcotics.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Moorman, Johnson was a high-ranking figure in the gang and served as the primary conduit for the operation: he transported firearms unlawfully obtained by members — including Truitt — to New York, where he then exchanged them for bulk quantities of heroin. He returned to South Carolina with the drugs, which were then distributed on the streets by Johnson, Truitt, and other Bloods members.

The Billies East Side Bloods, aligned with the larger United Blood Nation, have long plagued communities in Horry and Florence counties with violence, drug trafficking, and intimidation. Law enforcement officials described the gang’s operation as a criminal enterprise that thrived on fear, exploiting vulnerable neighborhoods while enriching top-tier members.

The investigation that dismantled the ring was a multi-agency effort led by the FBI and DEA, with critical support from the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Police Department, Myrtle Beach Police Department, North Myrtle Beach Police Department, the 15th Circuit’s Drug Enforcement Unit, and the Georgetown Police Department. Their combined work yielded wiretaps, surveillance, and witness testimony that crushed the conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is assisting in the prosecution. Federal authorities say the case is part of a broader crackdown on gang-affiliated drug trafficking in the Carolinas, with more indictments expected as the probe continues into the United Blood Nation’s regional operations.