One person pleads guilty to drug trafficking in South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA — A Gaffney woman has pleaded guilty to her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Ashley Nicole Cromer, 39, admitted to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.

Evidence presented in court showed that Cromer worked with Jonathan Willingham and others to distribute the drugs in 2023.

On October 27, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on Cromer during a trip to Atlanta, Georgia.

After stopping and searching her vehicle, officers recovered approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.

A search of Cromer’s phone revealed her involvement in a broader drug trafficking operation with Willingham. Authorities said Cromer also helped collect fentanyl as part of the conspiracy.

Cromer faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, a $10 million fine, and lifetime supervision.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr. accepted Cromer’s guilty plea and will sentence her after reviewing a report from the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which targets major drug traffickers and criminal organizations.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and several South Carolina law enforcement departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.