‘Dangerous’ Myrtle Beach gang dealt drugs, guns. Members will now head to prison

Members of a gang that a federal judge called “one of the most dangerous criminal organizations the federal government has prosecuted in the Florence and Myrtle Beach areas” are headed to prison.

The U.S. Attorney Office for South Carolina announced prison terms for nine people — including six current or former members of a street gang.

Officials announced the charges during a news conference in February 2017 detailing the activities of the “Billie East Side Bloods,” which is a part of the United Blood Nation.

Federal officials said Barbara Landy, 27, was the leader of the subset of the national criminal street gang and communicated with national leaders in the western part of the country. She directed drug shipments, assisted trafficking of weapons and ordered payments by inferior gang members.

A judge sentenced her to 17 years and six months in prison.

Federal Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks called the gang one of the most dangerous in the Grand Strand in recent years, according to a new release announcing the sentences.

Joshua Randall, 31, was sentenced to 16 years and three months in prison and served as a lieutenant in the gang, federal officials said. He sold kilograms of heroin and/or fentanyl to customers in the Horry County and Florence areas.

Lee Tracy Riggins, 27, trafficked guns to New York City to generate revenue for the gang and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Several other defendants, Stanley Weaver, Brandon Randall, Jerrick Thomas, Dominique Chatman, Douglas Hart and Joey Sinclair were sentenced to terms ranging from nearly three years in prison to credit for time served.

This story was originally published March 19, 2019 at 1:27 PM.