Two Men Sentenced in Large Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Gabriel L’Ambiance Ingram, 34, of Lancaster, and Carl Michael Mann, II, 41, of Rock Hill, were sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a large-scale drug operation operating in Rock Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina.  Ingram was sentenced to 260 months (21.66 years) and Mann was sentenced to 300 months (25 years) in federal prison after being convicted at trial.

Evidence presented during trial showed that the FBI and York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit began to investigate a group of defendants who were obtaining large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana from a distributor in Southern California.  Based upon their investigation, the police were able to determine that members of the group were flying to California and having the drugs shipped back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte area.  Based upon surveillance and other law enforcement techniques, the police learned that Darryl Hemphill was the leader of the group and helped introduce other members of the group to the California distributor.   Later, the group began ordering fentanyl from California, which they used to make fentanyl-laced pills which were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga. Based upon their investigation, law enforcement showed that this group shipped more than 255 packages from California and distributed more than 5 kilograms of cocaine,  280 grams or more of  crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana.

Evidence showed Mann was a member of the conspiracy and was involved in obtaining the pill press machines used by the conspirators, the dye, and stamps used to make the fentanyl-laced pills.  Mann would also operate the pill press machines for members of the conspiracy at different locations in Rock Hill and Charlotte.  He was paid by members of the conspiracy with some of the pills he made for them.  He was convicted at trial of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of heroin.  Mann was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine found during a search of his home.

Evidence also showed Ingram was a mid-level dealer who purchased illegal drugs from Hemphill and other members of the conspiracy and sold them to lower-level dealers and users of the illegal substances.  Ingram was convicted of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, and a quantity of heroin.  Ingram was also convicted of three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and four counts of possession with the intent to distribute illegal substances to include heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and crack cocaine.

Eighteen defendants were initially charged in this case.  Fifteen defendants pleaded guilty to their involvement while Mann, Ingram, and Darrell Crockett were found guilty by a jury.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Mann to 300 months in prison and Ingram to 260 months in prison.  Each will serve a term of court-ordered supervision following release from prison.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, Elliott B. Daniels, Elle E. Klein, and Lamar Fyall prosecuted the case.

###