Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in the Largest Fentanyl Bust in York County
Guilty Plea and Charges
The final defendant of five men arrested for the most substantial fentanyl bust in York County’s history has pleaded guilty. Quonzy Lanard Hope, a 35-year-old from Rock Hill, confessed on Monday in the U.S. District Court in Columbia before Judge Sherri Lydon to conspiring to distribute narcotics. This conviction could lead to a possible sentence ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.
Hope’s charges emerged from an enormous drug seizure of more than 60 pounds of fentanyl and other narcotics from a mobile home along Lake Wylie between Rock Hill and Charlotte in October 2022. There was an unsuccessful attempt by Hope’s lawyer to have Lydon dismiss the drug seizure after claiming Hope was merely a “social guest” at the trailer. A similar assertion by another defendant, that the mobile home was a party “man cave,” was also rejected by Lydon who referenced evidence suggesting the trailer was used for drug production.
Co-Defendants’ Conviction
Following Hope’s plea, all five men now stand convicted for the conspiracy to distribute drugs. Alongside Hope, Thomas Anthony Perry, 36, and Javaris Latrey Johnson, 31, both residents of York County, pleaded guilty in federal court in 2023. Timario Martez Gayton, 32, also of Rock Hill, admitted his guilt earlier this year. The official pleas are confirmed by federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office; all five men face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In a related but separate case, Timothy Markee Gayton, Timario Gayton’s twin brother, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy in March. It is yet to be determined when the sentencing will occur.
Drug Seizure and Law Enforcement Actions
In the landmark October 2022 drug bust, local police apprehended a significant cache of drugs, including pill fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin from the Lake Wylie-area mobile home. Alongside this trove of illicit substances, pill presses, firearms, and cash were also seized.
In addition to this, Tony Breeden, winner of the Republican primary for York County Sheriff, emphasized the important work being carried out by the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) in eradicating drugs from the streets.
The Fentanyl Crisis
The large-scale arrests and seizures have thrown a spotlight on the widespread fentanyl crisis. The synthetic opioid is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin has contributed significantly to the increase in overdose deaths both locally and nationwide. Law enforcement authorities have labeled fentanyl as a cheap, highly addictive, and perilously lethal substance.
This case has highlighted the importance of strategic collaborations between local, state, and federal partners in tackling the drug crisis faced by the community.
