Fifteen people were arrested Wednesday following a multi-agency, multi-state investigation into the distribution of illegal drugs across South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Eight of the 15 charged live in Beaufort County.

According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release, the 10 of the 15 suspects were charged with federal crimes after 11 search warrants were served simultaneously in Beaufort and Jasper counties; Suwanee, Pooler and Savannah, Ga.; and Tampa, Fla.

During the course of the investigation that was years in the making, law enforcement seized $45,000, 37 firearms, over 45 kilograms of cocaine, over 1 kilogram of crack cocaine, 100 grams of heroin, 129 grams of MDMA and, one pound of marijuana and five vehicles used to traffic the drugs.

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The maximum penalty each defendant charged federally could receive is life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.

“The indictment and arrests of these defendants is the result of a lengthy investigation aimed at removing those responsible for pushing large quantities of drugs into our communities, often while armed with deadly weapons,” U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said. “We will continue to move forward with this investigation and prosecution and do all we can to give the people of South Carolina a safe place to live.”

Those charged federally are:

▪ Demetrius Dwayne Swinton, 30, of Pooler, also known as “Meat” and “Million Dolla Meat,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.

▪ Liz Ashante Christopher, 30, of Suwanee, who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Christopher Johnson, 48, of Ridgeland, also known as “Unc,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Travis Wiggins, 26, of Ridgeland, also known as “Trap,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and additional drug and firearms charges.

▪ Derrick Edwards, 24, of Ridgeland, also known as “Markie,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and additional drug and firearms charges.

▪ Johnita Anderson, 35, of Hardeeville, also known as “Goat,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ David Grober, 35, of Beaufort, also known as “JY,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Boston Brown, 30, of Bluffton, who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and faces additional firearms charges.

▪ Samuel Jones, 34, of Beaufort, who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Ernest Tyrone Fields, 37, of Hilton Head Island, also known as “Fly,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Devin Swinton, 27, of Ridgeland, who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

▪ Ryan walters, 31, of Hilton Head, who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and faces additional drug charges.

▪ Terrance Wallace, 31, of Hilton Head, also known as “Bird,” who was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and faces additional drug charges.

As a result of several search warrants, Cassandra Green, 54, and Joseph Walters, 61, also were arrested and charged by the state at their Hilton Head homes, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Green was charged at her Christopher Drive residence with simple possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine.

Walters was charged at his Gumtree Road home with three counts of sale and distribution of crack cocaine, three counts of sale and distribution of crack cocaine within half a mile of a school, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine within half a mile of a school.

The agencies involved in the arrests and investigation included the Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton County sheriff’s offices, the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security the S.C. Law Enforcement Division and the S.C. Highway Patrol.

A variety of illegal drugs, firearms and vehicles were recovered and most of that evidence will accompany the federal cases.

Green and Walters were taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center.

The federal cases have been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Henderson of the Solicitor’s Office for prosecution.