Columbia Man Sentenced on Federal Heroin Conspiracy Charge

Contact Person: Stacey Haynes (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Larry Bookman, age 62, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment today in federal court. In August 2015, Bookman plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a quantity of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C). Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia imposed the sentence. After Bookman completes the term of imprisonment, he will be on federal supervised release for 6 years.    

Bookman was one of 10 defendants charged in April 2014, following a series of court-authorized, DEA-monitored wiretaps over several telephones in the Columbia area. The investigation revealed that a group of individuals in the Columbia area were obtaining heroin from various sources outside of South Carolina and then distributing it in the Midlands.  Evidence indicated that the suppliers were initially getting the heroin in packages from India. Several packages destined for Columbia and containing heroin were intercepted by law enforcement during the investigation. Evidence further showed that the co-defendants later obtained heroin in New York and transported it back to Columbia where it was distributed. The New York heroin suppliers have been charged by the Eastern District of New York for their role in the drug conspiracy and several have plead guilty. Additionally, five of Bookman’s co-defendants have plead guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy here in South Carolina and have been sentenced as follows: Eric Shawn Bradley, age 47, of Columbia, was sentenced to 210 months with 8 years of supervised release; Kenneth Crawford, age 42, of Washington, D.C., and formerly of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release;  Charles Bradley, age 32, of Columbia was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment with 6 years of supervised release to follow; Anthony Glover, age 40, of Columbia was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release to follow; and Jessany Lyons, age 25, of Far Rockaway, New York, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release. Four other co-defendants charged in the indictment remain fugitives.

Bookman has a 1992 federal drug conviction for possession of fentanyl and a number of prior state convictions, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana (1974), unlawful possession of a pistol (1976), possession of heroin (1977), receiving stolen goods (1978), financial transaction card theft (1982/1985), possession of heroin (1989), possession of cocaine (1990), possession of heroin (1991), possession of heroin 3^rd offense (2000), possession of a controlled substance (2006), assault and battery with intent to kill (2007), possession of stolen vehicle (2007), and possession of heroin 2^nd offense (2008).

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) High Intensity Drug Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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