Nineteen individuals have been charged by the United States Department of Justice for transporting over 255 packages of illicit drugs from California to South Carolina.
Archi Arsenio Caldwell, a 35-year-old suspect, received a sentence of over 16 years in prison after admitting guilt to conspiracy charges related to the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Additionally, Caldwell pleaded guilty to charges of distributing crack cocaine and engaging in money laundering.
Following his 200-month prison term, Caldwell will undergo a 10-year period of court-ordered supervision.
The investigation uncovered that group members were traveling to California, arranging for drugs to be shipped back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte areas.
Caldwell played a role in facilitating flights to California for group members and procuring illegal drugs. Authorities revealed that he personally traveled to California to purchase drugs on behalf of others and ship the packages back.
Once the drugs arrived in South Carolina, the group distributed them to local dealers.
Among the substances sourced from California, fentanyl was used to lace pills sold in various locations, including Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, and Atlanta.
Law enforcement estimates indicate that more than 255 packages were shipped from California.
Caldwell was deemed responsible for 37 grams of crack cocaine, six kilograms of methamphetamine, 27 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of fentanyl, and eight grams of marijuana.
Of the 19 defendants, 17, including Caldwell, pleaded guilty to their involvement, while three were convicted at trial, according to officials.
