2 plead guilty to drug-trafficking scheme in Saluda County, elsewhere

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two suspects have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from heroin and fentanyl sales in Saluda, Lexington and Richland counties, authorities say.

Shiv Balvant Tailor, 24, and Savannah Lynn Stroud, 23, both of Lexington, were charged in May 2019 with trafficking heroin 14-28 grams (conspiracy). They were accused of conspiring to deal counterfeit oxycodone that actually contained heroin and other substances, including in some instances fentanyl.

They were also charged with a number of other drug distribution and drug trafficking-related crimes.

The evidence showed many of the customers were current or recent graduates of Lexington High School and River Bluff High School, authorities said.

Tailor involved his then-girlfriend, Stroud, and they trafficked as many as 3,000 counterfeit prescription pills that contained heroin or fentanyl from June 2018 to March 2019, according to prosecutors.

Tailor was indicted by the state grand jury for murder in the death of 19-year-old Bradley Brunson. Brunson died on Nov. 23, 2018, from an overdose of fentanyl in a pill traced through the investigation into Tailor’s drug dealing.

The evidence showed Tailor was present when a previous young man overdosed on pills Tailor had sold to him and Tailor left the scene without rendering aid, according to prosecutors.

That young man’s friends got him to the hospital and he survived.

Not long after, Tailor sold a pill to Brunson, knowing from the previous overdose that he had pills laced with a dangerous amount of fentanyl, according to authorities.

Bradley took the pill alone in his room and was later found dead by his family.

“Users are essentially playing Russian roulette with these substances because drug dealers and bathroom chemists are not careful to ensure that they do not put too much fentanyl into whatever they are lacing,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said.

South Carolina does not have a statute specifically addressing penalties for drug trafficking that causes a drug overdose death, nor does it have a fentanyl trafficking statute.

Various bills are before the General Assembly on this issue as well on passing a fentanyl trafficking statute.

Tailor pleaded guilty to:

• Trafficking heroin, 4 grams or more, but less than 14 grams (2019-GS-47-07; Count 1)
• Involuntary manslaughter (2019-GS-47-11)
• Distribution of narcotic drugs in Schedule II (Fentanyl) (2019-GS-47-12; Count 3)
• Distribution of narcotic drugs in Schedule II (Fentanyl) (2019-GS-47-14; Count 1)
• Distribution of narcotic drugs in Schedule I (c) (Heroin) (2019-GS-47-35; Count 12)
• Possession of cocaine (2019-GS-47-35; Count 2)

Stroud pleaded guilty to:

• Trafficking heroin, 4 grams or more, but less than 14 grams (2019-GS-47-07; Count 1)
• Distribution of narcotic drugs in Schedule II (fentanyl) (2019-GS-47-12; Count 3)
• Possession with intent to distribute narcotic drugs in Schedule I(c) (heroin) (2019-GS-47-35; Count 14)
• Possession with intent to distribute narcotic drugs in Schedule II, (cocaine) (2019-GS-47-35; Count 17)

Judge Walton J. McLeod IV sentenced Tailor to 20 years on the heroin trafficking charge with sentences on the other charges running concurrently.

Stroud was sentenced to eight years for heroin trafficking with sentences on her other charges running concurrently. She cooperated with the investigation after her arrest and was not directly involved in the death of Brunson, according to prosecutors.

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