State Grand Jury Issues Additional Indictments Relating to Trafficking of Counterfeit Pills Containing Heroin and Fentanyl, Including Murder Indictment

(COLUMBIA, SC) - July 24, 2019 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the South Carolina State Grand Jury has issued additional indictments of three people for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy primarily involving heroin and fentanyl.

Previously, Benjamin Jamal Johnson, a/k/a Slim, 31, of Batesburg; Shiv Balvant Tailor, 21, of Lexington; and Savannah Lynn Stroud, 20, of Lexington, were all charged in May of 2019 with Trafficking Heroin 14-28 grams (Conspiracy).  Specifically, the indictment alleged the “defendants conspired to deal counterfeit ‘Roxies’ consisting of a mixture containing heroin and other substances, including in some instances fentanyl”.

“It is common knowledge that the opioid crisis has devastated South Carolina and the entire nation.  This Office intends to take aggressive action to fight this problem,” Attorney General Wilson said. “I want to thank all the law enforcement agencies involved for their hard work on this case. It’s another excellent example of different agencies working together with the State Grand Jury.”

Unsealed today were one superseding indictment and four new indictments that, when combined with the original charge from May of 2019, total the following charges against the named individuals:

(1) Shiv Balvant Tailor

a. 2019-GS-47-07 (Lexington County) (Superseding indictment)

i. Trafficking Heroin, 14-28 grams: 25 years and $200,000 (original charge from May 2019)

ii. Distribution of Heroin (2 counts): 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

iii. Distribution of Controlled Substance within Proximity of School: 0-10 years and/or $0-$10,000

b. 2019-GS-47-11 (Lexington County)

i. Murder: 30 years-life

c. 2019-GS-47-12 (Richland County)

i. Distribution of Heroin (2 counts): 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

ii. Distribution of Fentanyl: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

d. 2019-GS-47-14 (Saluda County)

i. Distribution of Fentanyl: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

ii. Distribution of Heroin: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

e. 2019-GS-47-35 (Lexington County)

i. Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 counts): 0-5 years and/or $0-$5,000

ii. Possession of Cocaine: 0-3 years and/or $0-$5,000

iii. Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance: 0-6 months and/or $0-$1,000

iv. Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule I Controlled Substance: 0-5 years and/or $0-$5,000

v. Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin (2 counts): 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

vi. Possession of Methamphetamine: 0-3 years and/or $0-5,000

vii. Distribution of Heroin: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

(2) Benjamin Jamal Johnson (a/k/a “Slim”)

a. 2019-GS-47-07 (Lexington County) (Superseding indictment)

i. Trafficking Heroin, 14-28 grams: 25 years and $200,000 (original charge from May 2019)

b. 2019-GS-47-14 (Saluda County)

i. Distribution of Heroin (2 counts): 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

ii. Trafficking Heroin, 4-14 grams (4 counts): 7-25 years and $50,000

iii. Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

iv. Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine: 0-15 years and/or $25,000

v. Possession of a Firearm During the Commission or Attempt to Commit a Violent Crime (3 counts): 5 years

c. 2019-GS-47-34 (Saluda County)

i. Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (2 counts): 0-5 years and/or $0-$5,000

(3) Savannah Lynn Stroud

a. 2019-GS-47-07 (Lexington County) (Superseding indictment)

i. Trafficking Heroin, 14-28 grams: 25 years and $200,000 (original charge from May 2019)

ii. Distribution of Heroin (3 counts): 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

iii. Distribution of Cocaine: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

b. 2019-GS-47-12 (Richland County)

i. Distribution of Heroin: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

ii. Distribution of Fentanyl: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

c. 2019-GS-47-35 (Lexington County)

i. Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance: 0-6 months and/or $0-$1,000

ii. Possession of Cocaine: 0-3 years and/or $0-$5,000

iii. Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule IV Controlled Substance (2 counts): 0-3 years and/or $0-$3,000

iv. Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance: 0-5 years and/or $0-$5,000

v. Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

vi. Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule I Controlled Substance: 0-5 years and/or $0-$5,000

vii. Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine: 0-15 years and/or $0-$25,000

Shiv Tailor was indicted by the State Grand Jury for murder in the death of Bradley Brunson.  Brunson died from an overdose of fentanyl on November 23, 2018.

The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury with a partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Section, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Saluda County Sheriff’s Department, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Columbia Police Department. The cases will be prosecuted by State Grand Jury Section Chief S. Creighton Waters and Senior Assistant Attorney General Joshua Underwood.

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.