COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – Tuesday morning, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that 34 people have been indicted as a result of a State Grand Jury investigation into a statewide meth trafficking organization that was largely operated from within South Carolina Prisons.
Of the 34 individuals indicted, one is from Florence County, two are from Horry County and one is from Murrells Inlet.
Between January and May 2017, a State Grand Jury returned 19 indictments alleging multiple connected conspiracies, each related to trafficking 400 grams or more of methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking heroin, firearms related charges, and other crimes.
This State Grand Jury Investigation has primarily focused on a methamphetamine trafficking organization led by SCDC inmates operating from within South Carolina prisons using contraband cellular telephones and smartphones with internet access to direct drug deliveries, sales, payments, and other trafficking-related activities of co-conspirators who were operating outside the prison walls.
The individuals charged in the case and brought into custody are:
Robert Anthony Gracely a/k/a “Tony G,” 44, an inmate at Broad River Correctional Institution
Nicanor Perez Rodriguez a/k/a “Nico,” 37, an inmate at Lee Correctional Institution
Enrique Ascencio, 27, Greenville, SC
Lori Renae Banning, 40, Forest City, N.C.
Diego Javier Beltran, 35, Greenville, S.C.
Tiffani Ann Brown, 38, Athens, GA
Stephen Dell Burns, 46, Lyman, S.C.
Leslie Danielle Center, 31, Greer, S.C.
Amanda Marie Collins, 30, Greer, S.C.
Saladeem Ali Crumpler, 36, Effingham, S.C.
John Shannon Dickerson a/k/a “Shady”, 35, Greer, S.C.
Yosif Enibtawi a/k/a “Joseph”, 46, Greer, S.C.
Juan Carlos Rios Espinoza, 23, Doraville, GA
Beauford Brotus Hartin a/k/a “Tadpole”, 54, Marietta, S.C.
Jessica Jackson a/k/a “Jessica Csikari,” 31, Greer, SC
Richard Ryan Jones a/k/a “White”, 40, Gaffney, S.C.
Ronald Elmer Miller a/k/a “Gabby”, 54, Taylors, S.C.
Dwane Andrew Mitchell, 34, Easley, S.C.
Dennis Murguia-Holguin, 20, Tucker, GA
Kayla Shai Nichols, 24, Surfside Beach, S.C.
Salvador Ramirez, 32, Greenville, SC
Randy Stewart Sheppard, Jr. a/k/a “Bofa”, 31, Greenville, S.C.
Bryan Michael Stegall, 34, Murrells Inlet, S.C.
Michael Bobby Stegall, 50, Easley, S.C.
Fred Allen Stewart, 42, Moore, S.C.
Richard Edgar Thompson, 29, Easley, SC
Todd Scott Thorne, 43, Greer, S.C.
Gabrielle Annette Whitmire a/k/a “Gabby”, 35, Easley, S.C.
Wendolyn Faye Whitt, 52, Easley, S.C.
The following individuals have been charged but not yet brought into custody:
Gerri Moranda Blackwell, 34, Gaffney, S.C.
Robert Scott Musser, a/k/a “Joker”, 40, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Sam Salvatore Passanisi, Jr., 53, Galt, CA
Michael John Powell a/k/a “Red”, 38, Duncan, S.C.
Traci Duncan Smiley, 46, Monroe, GA