A man who went viral for a Girl Scout cookie haul before his arrest as the lead defendant in a Greenwood-linked drug ring has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison.
Detric Lee “Fat” McGowan, 47, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering under a plea agreement that dismisses more than 30 other charges. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and an assistant U.S. attorney after authorities learned he had tried to pay his cellmate $10,000 to perform a hit on the prosecutor and the witness.
On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Donald C. Coggins Jr., of Spartanburg, sentenced McGowan to 35 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
A photo of McGowan went viral last year after he bought hundreds of boxes of Girl Scout cookies so the girls would not have to stand outside in the rain.
He was ordered last month to forfeit $3,264,500 that were proceeds from selling narcotics.
Including McGowan, 12 people have pleaded guilty in connection to the case and a 13th defendant has entered a pretrial diversion program.
The investigation traces its roots to a series of drug buys in October 2017.
While in custody, prosecutors said McGowan was recorded offering his cellmate $10,000 to kill the prosecutor and a witness. He confessed to the plot to the FBI.
Prosecutors say investigators seized more than 20 kilograms of heroin during the investigation.
fox13now.com
