Three Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug-Fueled Shooting at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- Three men were sentenced to federal prison after an attempted drug robbery led to a gunfight in a parking garage at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

Dequadry Kendrick Razor, 21, of Columbia, was sentenced to twenty years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possessing and discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Jaondre Zidarius Collier, 23, and Tyree Laquan Smith, 21, both of Spartanburg, were sentenced to 68 months and 24 months, respectively, after also pleading guilty to drug and gun offenses.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on January 25, 2022, Smith and another man flew into GSP from Los Angeles carrying approximately fifty pounds of marijuana in two suitcases. These two men, along with Collier, had previously traveled from Charlotte to Miami to shoot music videos and then flown to California to purchase marijuana. Collier and his girlfriend flew into Charlotte and then drove to GSP to pick up Smith and the other trafficker. Unbeknownst to them, Razor and a coconspirator were sitting in a car outside the terminal, waiting to rob them. Information presented to the court showed that Razor and others had successfully robbed marijuana traffickers flying into GSP on multiple prior occasions.

After loading their suitcases into the trunk of Collier’s car, Smith and his companion climbed into the backseat. Collier pulled into a parking garage adjacent to the terminal, where the traffickers planned to transfer some of the marijuana into another vehicle. As they began to get out of the car, Razor and his coconspirator rushed in with pistols drawn, and a gunfight broke out. Smith was shot attempting to get out of the vehicle, and the would-be robbers fled without the suitcases, as the traffickers returned fire. Multiple vehicles parked in the garage were struck in the crossfire.

Smith, who had suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound, was loaded into another vehicle and rushed to a Spartanburg hospital. Collier can be seen on footage from the garage climbing back into his bullet-riddled car to chase the robbers. As Razor and his companion attempted to feed a ticket into the kiosk to exit the garage, Collier pulled up behind them and began shooting at them. An innocent bystander was trapped in her vehicle behind the fleeing robbers as Collier fired over her car, striking the kiosk. Razor and his companion were able to exit the garage and fled back to Columbia.

Collier remained at the scene, and responding law enforcement found the suitcases of marijuana in his trunk and two pistols in his glovebox. They also recovered shell casings from at least four different handguns. Investigators quickly identified the car used by the robbers, which they found at a Columbia home where Razor was living. A search of the bedroom Razor was staying in revealed a large bag of marijuana and two handguns. One of these guns was forensically matched to shell casings recovered from the parking garage and from the well of the windshield of the robbers’ car.

“Armed drug trafficking and the violence it spawns pose a threat to even our most secure and critical infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “No one should have to fear getting caught in crossfire at an airport. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the public from this type of brazen violence.”

“The reckless disregard of the public’s safety by these defendants is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office Steve Jensen. “The diligent efforts of all the law enforcement partners have ensured that these individuals are paying the price for their violent acts and drug trafficking into the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.”

Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong sentenced the defendants in this case. Several additional defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing in connection with this shooting and related drug trafficking. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) and the GSP Airport District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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