Men Face Drug, Immigration Charges After FBI Cocaine Bust in Lexington County

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that Juan Carlos Mejia-Hernandez, a/k/a “Juan Mejia,” age 33, Luis Alberto Mejia-Hernandez, a/k/a “Luis Mejia,” age 27, Carlos Octavio Biviano-Santiago, a/k/a “Carlos Biviano,” age 21, and Jorge Chacon-Cruz, a/k/a “Juan Chacon,” age 22, all of Mexico, were each charged in a five-count Indictment with possession and distribution of cocaine, conspiracy, and illegal entry into the United States. These charges stem from an incident on October 8, 2009, in which the four men were arrested by the FBI while distributing a kilogram of cocaine in Lexington County.

The maximum penalty each defendant could receive on the drug charges is a fine of $2,000,000 and imprisonment for a mandatory minimum term of five years and a possible maximum term of 40 years. They also face an additional two years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the immigration charges.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.