GREENWOOD COUNTY, SC (WYFF) - A day after a viral Facebook post earned a man praise from around the world for his generosity to some Greenville County Girl Scouts, he was arrested on federal drug charges, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration officials.
An Upstate woman who manages cookie sales for Troop 1574, shared a picture of the man, later identified as Detric McGowan, with two of Scouts on Friday, saying: “This man purchased seven packs of cookies. Gave the girls $40, told them to keep the change. Then he came back to the table and said ‘pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold.’ $540 he spent on cookies. What an amazing soul!!!! #troop1574 #kindheart #thatgreenville #greenvillesc”
By Monday afternoon, the post had gone viral, with 6,200 shares, 17,000 reactions and 777 comments, all of them thanking him and praising his generosity.
The story took a very dark turn Tuesday when the Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed the cookie buyer, McGowan, who is from Greenwood, was arrested along with 10 other people, most from the Upstate, in the bust of a major drug conspiracy.
McGowan and the others are accused of conspiracy to import and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, according to a 22-count federal Grand Jury indictment.
The indictment alleges the suspects conspired to import the narcotics from Mexico and distribute them throughout the Upstate of South Carolina, North Carolina and elsewhere.
McGowan is one of four suspects also accused of conspiring to smuggle more than $1 million dollars in cash out of the United States.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick said McGowan, whose street name is “Fat,” was arrested Tuesday.
Crick said, if convicted, McGowan could face up to life in prison.
Those named in the indictment are:
Detric Lee McGowan, aka "Fat," 46, of Piedmont, South Carolina
Donald Nathaniel Thomas, jr. aka "TJ," 36, of Greenwood, South Carolina
Christohpher Jerome Cunningham, 38, of Greenwood, South Carolina
Richard Lamond Longshore, 46, of Greenwood, South Carolina
Celest Henry Blocker, 67, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
Eddie Lee Childs, 49, of Simpsonville, South Carolina
Trevor Maurice Hull, 51, of Greenwood, South Carolina
Danny Morales Lopez, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
Shequita Latoya Holloway, 34, of Greenwood, South Carolina
Lauren Brooke Poore, 35, of Piedmont, South Carolina
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