A federal grand jury in Florence has indicted five individuals on charges related to drug trafficking. The indictment includes Samual Earl Ramu, 33; Kathy Denise Roberts-Poston, 57; Michael Allen Dorsey, 56; Justin Allen Cox, 40; and Ryan Marie Lovell, 37. They are accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in South Carolina since May 2021.
Ramu faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently serving a 15-year sentence with the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Dorsey also faces a potential life sentence and is detained on related state charges. Roberts-Poston, Cox, and Lovell each face up to 20 years in prison as they await their initial court appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community groups. The program emphasizes trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations alongside the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and received support from the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Ellis will prosecute the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs reminded that "all charges in the indictment are merely accusations" and emphasized that "defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."