Operation “Pop Rocks” Scores Major Heroin, Cocaine, and Firearm Arrests

Columbia, South Carolina--------United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a collaborative federal-state investigation culminated in arrests and significant seizures after a federal grand jury in South Carolina returned a forty-one-count indictment charging an interstate drug trafficking ring for its importation of heroin and cocaine into Richland County and surrounding areas. 

On August 6, 2017, agents involved with the joint investigation arrested six defendants pursuant to a federal indictment for their roles in the drug conspiracy, which consisted of both heroin and cocaine, two state defendants, and executed multiple federal search warrants across Richland County. Jermaine Southall, Bilal Muhammad, Jamie Patterson, Lee Ball, Christopher Fulton, and Aaron Meroney have been indicted for distributing and conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine as well as using telephones to facilitate drug trafficking. United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges scheduled hearings for the federal defendants to take place on August 10, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. during which time she will determine if bond is appropriate.

The eight-month investigation focused on a violent narcotics distribution operation in and around the Columbia area. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department and DEA began sharing intelligence on smaller investigations that were being conducted throughout the area, ultimately learning that other law enforcement agencies were making undercover buys of heroin and crack cocaine that was supplied by this drug trafficking organization. “The investigation and federal indictment are the products of significant coordination between federal and local law enforcement agencies, and represent the commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to combat the heroin epidemic that our community is currently facing,” United States Attorney Beth Drake stated.

“This case serves as just one example of the ongoing efforts of local Narcotics Bureau detectives who will continue to work diligently, together with our law enforcement partners, to prevent additional overdose tragedies related to this poison,” said Richland Sheriff Leon Lott. “Working with our community, we will overcome the Heroin/Opioid epidemic that has plagued the entire country.”

This case was the culmination of a joint investigation by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, DEA Columbia Provisional Task Force, Columbia Police Department, SLED, IRS-CI, ICE – Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, USPS, and the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The DEA Columbia Provisional Task Force is comprised of Task Force Officers from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, SLED, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.  The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ben Garner of the Columbia office.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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