Five men from the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions of South Carolina have been sentenced to multi-year terms in federal prison after pleading guilty to their involvement in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and related firearms charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina made the announcement on Friday.
The individuals sentenced are:
Joshua Rodriguez, 33, of Myrtle Beach, received 151 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Derrick Adrien Hooks Jr., 27, of Chesterfield, was sentenced to 96 months for his role in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Christopher Brown, 32, of Pawleys Island, was sentenced to 84 months for his involvement in the fentanyl distribution operation.
Jonathan Thien Ta, 32, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 50 months after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This sentence will run consecutively to a state sentence Ta is serving for other firearms-related conduct.
Neil Alexander Torres, 32, of Myrtle Beach, received 18 months after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Rodriguez and Brown will serve five years of supervised release after completing their prison sentences, while Hooks will serve four years of supervision. Ta and Torres will serve three years of court-ordered supervision following their terms of imprisonment.
The case was connected to an investigation that involved Myrtle Beach Police officers who, on November 26, 2020, arrived at a local restaurant with a warrant for Ta’s arrest. Ta attempted to flee and drew a loaded 9mm handgun from his waistband, handing it to Torres before being arrested.
This case highlights the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession in the region.