Columbia men plead guilty in federal heroin conspiracy
Two former Columbia residents pleaded guilty to a federal drug conspiracy Monday and could face substantial prison sentences and fines.
Michael Glover, 47, and Salahadeen Pollard, 43, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Beth Drake. Glover also pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy.
Glover and Pollard were two of 10 defendants charged in April 2014, following a series of wiretaps in the Columbia area, revealing a group of individuals were obtaining heroin from various sources, including India and New York, and distributing it in the Midlands, Drake’s office said.
Glover and Pollard were fugitives until their arrests this past summer in Texas, where they lived under false identities.
Glover faces a minimum of 10 years in prison with a maximum of life, a fine of $8,000,000, a special assessment of $100, and a term of supervised release of at least 8 years in addition to any term of imprisonment, according to Drake’s office. He faces an enhanced sentence based on two prior felony drug convictions.
On the money laundering conspiracy charge, Glover faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment of $100, according to Drake’s office.
On the drug conspiracy charge, Pollard faces a minimum of 5 years in prison with a maximum of 40 years, a fine of $5,000,000, a special assessment of $100, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years in addition to any term of imprisonment, according to Drake’s office.
Previous convictions
Six of Michael Glover and Salahadeen Pollard’s co-defendants were arrested in 2014 and pleaded guilty to their role in the drug conspiracy in South Carolina and were sentenced in 2015 as follows:
- Eric Shawn Bradley, 50, of Columbia, was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release
- Kenneth Crawford, 44, of Washington, D.C., and formerly of Columbia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release
- Charles Bradley, 35, of Columbia was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment with 6 years of supervised release to follow
- Anthony Glover, 43, of Columbia was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment with 8 years of supervised release to follow
- Larry Bookman, 64, of Columbia was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment with 6 years of supervised release
- Jessany Lyons, age 27, of Far Rockaway, New York, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release
Two other co-defendants charged in the indictment remain fugitives.
Source: Office of U.S. Attorney Beth Drake