Member of Sumter Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy Receiver Over 96 Years In Prison In Federal Court

Contact Person: JD Rowell (803) 929-3000

Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake advised today that 6 members of a large scale cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking conspiracy received significant sentences yesterday in Federal Court.  On July 7, 2016, Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten held hearings throughout the day to impose sentences for the conspirators who had previously entered guilty pleas admitting to conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.  The following defendants received the following sentences:

• Patar ONeal Montgomery (Age 38 of Dazell, South Carolina): 156 months with 5 years of supervised release to follow;
• Donald Antwon Dingle (Age 24 of Sumter, South Carolina): 115 months with 4 years of supervised release to follow;
• Andre Lewayne Brooks (Age 29 of Horatio, South Carolina) 78 months with 6 years of supervised release to follow;
• Corey Emanuel White (Age 29 of Sumter, South Carolina) 262 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow;
• Michael Antonio Floyd (Age 42 of Bishopville, South Carolina) 276 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow; and
• Jimmy Tony McDowell (Age 40 of Sumter, South Carolina) 276 months with 8 years of supervised release to follow.

Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that the above defendants were held accountable for the distribution of over 65 kilograms of powder cocaine and over 650 grams of crack cocaine during the course of the conspiracy which lasted from around April of 2012 until July of 2015.  Each of the above defendants who received sentences of 21 years or higher were classified as “career offenders,” meaning that each had previously been convicted of 2 or more felony drug convictions in state and/or federal Court.

Evidence at the hearings established that this investigation began over a year ago when FBI, DEA and City of Sumter Task Force Officers identified the above named defendants who were supplying large numbers of violent street level cocaine and crack cocaine dealers in Sumter.  Agents and Task Force Officers previously conducted arrest operations on June 16, 2015, and October 20, 2015. As of the date of yesterday’s sentencings, this investigation has resulted in the seizure of over 9 kilograms of powder cocaine, the seizure of almost $900,000.00, the seizure of 8 firearms that were used in furtherance of drug trafficking, and convictions/guilty pleas of 8 other defendants who will be sentenced at a later time by Chief Judge Wooten.  Agents have learned that the conspiracy as a whole was directly responsible for the distribution of well over 150 kilograms (wholesale value of $6,000,000.00) of cocaine in Sumter and Richland Counties during the time frame of the conspiracy. 

This case is yet another example of the fine work being done by Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies working together through the Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) in South Carolina. 

The CVGTF is consists of the following agencies:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation, SAC David A. Thomas
• Sumter Police Department, Chief Russell Roark
• South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Chief Mark Keel
• Columbia Police Department, Chief Skip Holbrook
• Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Leon Lott
• South Carolina Army National Guard Counterdrug Unit, LTC Walter Ginn

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