Five people are now behind bars after what Cleveland County deputies describe as a months-long push to unravel a local drug trafficking operation involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. Investigators say the alleged ringleader, Santana Elliott, was picked up in Myrtle Beach on June 16 on multiple trafficking charges, while four alleged co-conspirators were arrested closer to home. The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office says the bust is the result of sustained work by its Narcotics Division rather than a lucky break.
During the investigation, deputies seized 742.2 grams of methamphetamine, 35.3 grams of fentanyl, 22.8 grams of cocaine, 22 dosage units of Xanax, $6,270.71 in cash and one vehicle, according to WCCB Charlotte. Elliott is charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, trafficking in methamphetamine and continuing a criminal enterprise. Four co-defendants, identified as Amber Parson, Kalana Maple, Geoffrey Nance and Margaret Greene, were also arrested on drug-trafficking related charges, the station reports.
Sheriff: Investigation "months of dedicated work"
"The arrest of individuals responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl demonstrates our commitment to protecting the citizens of Cleveland County," Sheriff Alan Norman said, according to WCCB Charlotte. Norman added that fentanyl continues to be one of the most serious threats facing local communities and that his office intends to keep the pressure on anyone profiting from hard drugs.
One defendant arrested days earlier
One of the five, Margaret Hager Greene, was actually in custody before the full operation wrapped up. She was arrested on June 12 after a vehicle stop that deputies say turned up about 208.3 grams of methamphetamine and roughly 32.5 grams of fentanyl, according to a Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post shared on the agency’s website. Authorities say that traffic stop fed into the broader investigation that culminated in this week’s arrests.
Regional interdictions show scale of the problem
The Cleveland County case lands amid a series of high-volume drug seizures across the area. On May 27, a joint operation between Cleveland and Rutherford authorities recovered more than two kilograms of fentanyl following a traffic stop and chase, as reported by WBTV. Last December, a multi-agency investigation dubbed Operation Ice-Breaker led to the seizure of roughly 44 kilograms of methamphetamine in Cleveland and Gaston counties, according to The Shelby Independent.
Next steps
All five suspects remain in custody on felony drug-trafficking charges while prosecutors review the case file to determine formal charges and court dates. The sheriff’s office says anyone with information related to the investigation can call the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 484-4888 or submit a tip online at sheriffclevelandcounty.com.
