Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Importation of Heroin Charge

Contact Person: Stacey Haynes (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Kenneth Crawford, Jr., age 42, of Washington, D.C. and formerly of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment today in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, after earlier pleading guilty to importation of 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960(a)(1), 960(b)(2), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.  Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia imposed the sentence, which will be followed by 8 years of supervised release.

Crawford 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 Crawford was involved in the 2011 and 2012 importation of heroin into the United States from India. Several packages destined for Crawford 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. Three of Crawford’s co-defendants have plead guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy here in South Carolina and have been sentenced as follows: 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.  Co-defendant Eric Bradley has plead guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing. One co-defendant is awaiting trial and is presumed innocent. Four other co-defendants charged in the indictment remain fugitives.

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, 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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