Two From Lexington County Plead Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Weapon Charges

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Caleb York Rowell, 29, of Swansea, and Brandi Leann Clarke, a/k/a “Brandi Savage,” 26, of Gaston, have each pleaded guilty to their roles in a drug conspiracy in which they sold firearms and drugs to confidential informants and undercover agents in the summer of 2021. Specifically, Rowell and Clark each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Rowell also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Rowell’s drug distribution in May 2021. During a recorded call with a confidential informant on May 11, 2021, Rowell bragged about running away from a traffic stop the day before that resulted in a wreck and how officers found his drugs and gun. ATF confirmed that the day before, Gaston Police Department had been in a car chase after they attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. That chase culminated in the driver wrecking the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Along the route where the driver fled, officers were able to locate a fanny pack containing bags of heroin and fentanyl, and they found a stolen pistol nearby. Through the recorded call and witnesses at the scene, officers were then able to identify Rowell as the driver.

Thereafter, between May and July 2021, law enforcement made a series of undercover purchases of firearms, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Rowell and Clark. One of the firearms Rowell sold to the undercover agent was a short-barreled shotgun. Both Rowell and Clark are prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony convictions in state court. Rowell has prior state convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, failure to stop for blue light and siren, and driving under suspension 3^rd offense, and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Clark has two prior state convictions for possession of methamphetamine.

Rowell faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison with a maximum of 40 years, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $5,000,000 on the conspiracy charge and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $2,000,000 on the distribution charge. On the felon in possession of a firearm and the possession of the unregistered short-barreled shotgun charges, Rowell faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 3 years, and a $250,000 fine.  Clark faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of 6 years, and a fine of $2,000,000 on the conspiracy charge. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the duo after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Gaston Police Department, Swansea Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes is prosecuting the case.

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