Six Men Indicted in Lowcountry Marijuana and Cocaine Conspiracy

Six Men Indicted in Federal Drug Conspiracy Case

Federal prosecutors have unsealed a sweeping indictment against six men accused of orchestrating a large-scale drug trafficking operation across the South Carolina Lowcountry. According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charges involve significant quantities of marijuana and cocaine base, as well as multiple firearms offenses that carry the potential for life sentences.

The individuals named in the indictment, as reported by Live 5 News, face varying degrees of culpability, ranging from conspiracy charges to specific counts of possession with intent to distribute. The investigation into the network involved a multi-agency task force, including the FBI Columbia field office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and several local police departments from North Charleston, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and the Isle of Palms, along with the Berkeley and Charleston County Sheriff’s Offices.

The Charges and Potential Penalties

The legal stakes for the defendants are substantial. For four of the men, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment, while the remaining two face a maximum of 40 years behind bars. The charges break down as follows:

Keith Washington, 26, of North Charleston: Charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute.
Zongteng Wang, 46, of Lawrenceville, Georgia: Charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.
Antoine White, 36, of Summerville: Charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute.
Julian Freeman, 31, of North Charleston: Charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.

Coordinated Enforcement in the Lowcountry

The breadth of the investigation highlights the collaborative nature of modern federal drug enforcement. By involving municipal police departments from across the Charleston metropolitan area alongside the FBI and state-level investigators, the case underscores the logistical reach of the alleged conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Bianchi is leading the prosecution for the government.

While the indictment details the specific quantities and types of controlled substances—specifically the high-volume marijuana thresholds and the presence of cocaine base—the inclusion of firearm charges for defendants like Rose and Jackson suggests that investigators treated the operation as a violent threat to public safety rather than a non-violent trafficking scheme. The presence of these weapons in the context of drug distribution triggers enhanced federal mandatory minimums under statutes designed to curb the intersection of narcotics trade and armed criminal activity.

As the legal process moves forward, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to manage the case, with authorities still working to secure booking photographs for all individuals involved. The federal court system will now determine the timeline for arraignments and subsequent motions as the prosecution prepares to present its evidence against the accused.