Charleston, SC – May 23, 2025 – A high-stakes federal crackdown has ripped the veil off a sprawling narcotics empire operating in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. In a sweeping operation authorities are calling “historic in scale and scope,” 16 individuals including ranking members of the Gangster Disciples and Fruit Town Piru have been federally indicted for their alleged roles in a deadly drug trafficking ring.
Announced Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, the indictments are the result of a months-long sting by the Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force. Investigators say the operation wasn’t just pushing product, it was fueling a network of violence, addiction, and intimidation that turned neighborhoods into battlegrounds.
“This is a direct strike on the arteries of gang-fueled destruction,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling. “We’re not just taking down dealers. We’re dismantling empires.”
Inside the Supercell: Drugs, Firepower, and Fear
This wasn’t your average drug bust. Agents describe the network as a “supercell” highly organized, heavily armed, and deeply embedded in the fabric of North Charleston, West Ashley, and nearby communities.
What they seized reads like a cartel’s inventory:
- 60 kilos of cocaine
- 1 kilo of methamphetamine
- 24 pounds of marijuana
- 600 grams of fentanyl enough to potentially kill over 300,000 people
- 500 grams of heroin
- Thousands of counterfeit pills
- 12 firearms, including military-style rifles
“These weren’t street-corner hustlers. They ran an industrial-grade operation with a gangland command structure,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferrell.
From coded drop-offs to hidden stash houses, the operation moved like a ghost until agents moved in.
The Players: From “Tez” to “Pops”
The case has been split into two major indictments United States v. Gaillard et al. and United States v. Bailey et al. and it reads like a who’s-who of local gang leadership:
- Shawntez “Tez” Gaillard, 60 – a suspected kingpin, charged with large-scale cocaine and meth distribution.
- Scott “Pops” Hollins, 55 – a high-level trafficker caught with cocaine, fentanyl, meth, and guns.
- Jarell Bailey, 31 – facing over a dozen distribution and firearms charges tied to meth and fentanyl.
- Meri Sottile and Amanda Forth – accused of managing meth supply chains and armed distribution.
Investigators say most of the indicted individuals are either confirmed gang members or deeply embedded in gang logistics and enforcement.
Terror in the Trenches: A Community Held Hostage
The violence wasn’t theoretical. Officials believe the syndicate is tied to multiple overdoses and fatal shootings across Charleston and surrounding counties.
“We weren’t just targeting a drug ring. We were targeting a violent ecosystem,” said ATF Regional Director Marcus White. “This takedown will save lives.”
Residents, long weary of the unrelenting grip of gangland crime, expressed cautious optimism.
“We’ve been screaming for help for years,” said a North Charleston mother of three. “Maybe now, we can breathe.”
The Ripple Effect: More Than a Bust
Law enforcement leaders emphasized this operation is part of a larger federal war on organized street gangs and the drug empires they fuel.
“There’s always another dealer, another gun, another batch of poison,” said Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds. “But there’s also always another task force ready to hit back harder.”
Operation Lowcountry Lockdown is being hailed as a blueprint for future federal-state crackdowns combining the reach of the FBI, ATF, Secret Service, and local agencies to devastating effect.
What Comes Next: Trials, Sentences, and Warnings
As the defendants await trial some facing life in prison prosecutors are already looking ahead. The investigation continues, with more arrests expected in the coming weeks.
“We’re not done,” said Stirling. “This was chapter one. We’re flipping the page.”
Message ReceivedTo gangs still operating in the shadows, the government’s message is clear:
We see you. We know your names. And your time is up.
