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He was the mystery man who gained viral notoriety for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies so the girls wouldn't have to stand out in the cold. And now, garnering attention of an entirely different sort, he was arrested on drug charges on Tuesday at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.
The man, identified as Detric Lee McGowan, 46, appeared in federal court; he faces drug and conspiracy charges relating to manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating McGowan for six months and planned on arresting him Tuesday, long before the photo of him smiling next to two Girl Scouts went viral.
“It was all a coincidence,” a DEA source told Fox News.
McGowan “used his story of buying $540 of Girl Scout cookies to falsely shine the spotlight on himself under the pretense of being a pillar of the community; in reality, he is a pariah to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Atlanta field division. “His criminal conduct provided no positive benefit to the Greenville community, but only caused immeasurable and untold pain to the scores of families who are dealing with opioid addiction.
"Now that this defendant is behind bars, the Greenville community can celebrate the true heroes (the dedicated men/women in law enforcement) who work tirelessly to ensure their community is a safe place to raise families.”
The viral Facebook post, shared over 9,000 times, said McGowan initially purchased seven boxes of cookies from the girls, who'd set up a stand outside a store in Greenville.
He gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Then later, he came back and spent $500 more to purchase every cookie box the girls were selling.
“Pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold,” McGowan told the girls, according to the Facebook post.
McGowan never gave his name to the Girl Scouts, but the DEA knew him.
The drug suspect has a history of prior drug dealing charges. He’s been arrested six times before and has served time in federal prison.
Most recently McGowan served two and a half years for cocaine possession with intent to distribute.
Then gets busted for manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
SC man who gained viral attention buying $540 in Girl Scout cookies is arrested on drug charges
He was the mystery man who gained viral notoriety for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies so the girls wouldn't have to stand out in the cold. And now, garnering attention of an entirely different sort, he was arrested on drug charges on Tuesday at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.
The man, identified as Detric Lee McGowan, 46, appeared in federal court; he faces drug and conspiracy charges relating to manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating McGowan for six months and planned on arresting him Tuesday, long before the photo of him smiling next to two Girl Scouts went viral.
“It was all a coincidence,” a DEA source told Fox News.
McGowan “used his story of buying $540 of Girl Scout cookies to falsely shine the spotlight on himself under the pretense of being a pillar of the community; in reality, he is a pariah to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Atlanta field division. “His criminal conduct provided no positive benefit to the Greenville community, but only caused immeasurable and untold pain to the scores of families who are dealing with opioid addiction.
"Now that this defendant is behind bars, the Greenville community can celebrate the true heroes (the dedicated men/women in law enforcement) who work tirelessly to ensure their community is a safe place to raise families.”
The viral Facebook post, shared over 9,000 times, said McGowan initially purchased seven boxes of cookies from the girls, who'd set up a stand outside a store in Greenville.
He gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Then later, he came back and spent $500 more to purchase every cookie box the girls were selling.
“Pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold,” McGowan told the girls, according to the Facebook post.
McGowan never gave his name to the Girl Scouts, but the DEA knew him.
The drug suspect has a history of prior drug dealing charges. He’s been arrested six times before and has served time in federal prison.
Most recently McGowan served two and a half years for cocaine possession with intent to distribute.
Well, we know where he got the $540 from.
Then gets busted for manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
SC man who gained viral attention buying $540 in Girl Scout cookies is arrested on drug charges
He was the mystery man who gained viral notoriety for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies so the girls wouldn't have to stand out in the cold. And now, garnering attention of an entirely different sort, he was arrested on drug charges on Tuesday at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.
The man, identified as Detric Lee McGowan, 46, appeared in federal court; he faces drug and conspiracy charges relating to manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating McGowan for six months and planned on arresting him Tuesday, long before the photo of him smiling next to two Girl Scouts went viral.
“It was all a coincidence,” a DEA source told Fox News.
McGowan “used his story of buying $540 of Girl Scout cookies to falsely shine the spotlight on himself under the pretense of being a pillar of the community; in reality, he is a pariah to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Atlanta field division. “His criminal conduct provided no positive benefit to the Greenville community, but only caused immeasurable and untold pain to the scores of families who are dealing with opioid addiction.
"Now that this defendant is behind bars, the Greenville community can celebrate the true heroes (the dedicated men/women in law enforcement) who work tirelessly to ensure their community is a safe place to raise families.”
The viral Facebook post, shared over 9,000 times, said McGowan initially purchased seven boxes of cookies from the girls, who'd set up a stand outside a store in Greenville.
He gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Then later, he came back and spent $500 more to purchase every cookie box the girls were selling.
“Pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold,” McGowan told the girls, according to the Facebook post.
McGowan never gave his name to the Girl Scouts, but the DEA knew him.
The drug suspect has a history of prior drug dealing charges. He’s been arrested six times before and has served time in federal prison.
Most recently McGowan served two and a half years for cocaine possession with intent to distribute.
Well, we know where he got the $540 from.
It would have been more funny if it was only weed he was selling/growing.
And it would make much more sense.
Then gets busted for manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
SC man who gained viral attention buying $540 in Girl Scout cookies is arrested on drug charges
He was the mystery man who gained viral notoriety for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies so the girls wouldn't have to stand out in the cold. And now, garnering attention of an entirely different sort, he was arrested on drug charges on Tuesday at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.
The man, identified as Detric Lee McGowan, 46, appeared in federal court; he faces drug and conspiracy charges relating to manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating McGowan for six months and planned on arresting him Tuesday, long before the photo of him smiling next to two Girl Scouts went viral.
“It was all a coincidence,” a DEA source told Fox News.
McGowan “used his story of buying $540 of Girl Scout cookies to falsely shine the spotlight on himself under the pretense of being a pillar of the community; in reality, he is a pariah to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Atlanta field division. “His criminal conduct provided no positive benefit to the Greenville community, but only caused immeasurable and untold pain to the scores of families who are dealing with opioid addiction.
"Now that this defendant is behind bars, the Greenville community can celebrate the true heroes (the dedicated men/women in law enforcement) who work tirelessly to ensure their community is a safe place to raise families.”
The viral Facebook post, shared over 9,000 times, said McGowan initially purchased seven boxes of cookies from the girls, who'd set up a stand outside a store in Greenville.
He gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Then later, he came back and spent $500 more to purchase every cookie box the girls were selling.
“Pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold,” McGowan told the girls, according to the Facebook post.
McGowan never gave his name to the Girl Scouts, but the DEA knew him.
The drug suspect has a history of prior drug dealing charges. He’s been arrested six times before and has served time in federal prison.
Most recently McGowan served two and a half years for cocaine possession with intent to distribute.
Well, we know where he got the $540 from.
It would have been more funny if it was only weed he was selling/growing.
And it would make much more sense.
When I was first reading this story I was SURE it was going to say he was selling weed. Then I still would have supported the guy. Fuck it. Go home, get high, and enjoy your cookies.
Then gets busted for manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
SC man who gained viral attention buying $540 in Girl Scout cookies is arrested on drug charges
He was the mystery man who gained viral notoriety for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies so the girls wouldn't have to stand out in the cold. And now, garnering attention of an entirely different sort, he was arrested on drug charges on Tuesday at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.
The man, identified as Detric Lee McGowan, 46, appeared in federal court; he faces drug and conspiracy charges relating to manufacturing heroin and fentanyl pills.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating McGowan for six months and planned on arresting him Tuesday, long before the photo of him smiling next to two Girl Scouts went viral.
“It was all a coincidence,” a DEA source told Fox News.
McGowan “used his story of buying $540 of Girl Scout cookies to falsely shine the spotlight on himself under the pretense of being a pillar of the community; in reality, he is a pariah to the community,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Atlanta field division. “His criminal conduct provided no positive benefit to the Greenville community, but only caused immeasurable and untold pain to the scores of families who are dealing with opioid addiction.
"Now that this defendant is behind bars, the Greenville community can celebrate the true heroes (the dedicated men/women in law enforcement) who work tirelessly to ensure their community is a safe place to raise families.”
The viral Facebook post, shared over 9,000 times, said McGowan initially purchased seven boxes of cookies from the girls, who'd set up a stand outside a store in Greenville.
He gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Then later, he came back and spent $500 more to purchase every cookie box the girls were selling.
“Pack up all of your cookies. I’m taking them all so y’all can get out of this cold,” McGowan told the girls, according to the Facebook post.
McGowan never gave his name to the Girl Scouts, but the DEA knew him.
The drug suspect has a history of prior drug dealing charges. He’s been arrested six times before and has served time in federal prison.
Most recently McGowan served two and a half years for cocaine possession with intent to distribute.
Well, we know where he got the $540 from.
It would have been more funny if it was only weed he was selling/growing.
And it would make much more sense.
When I was first reading this story I was SURE it was going to say he was selling weed. Then I still would have supported the guy. Fuck it. Go home, get high, and enjoy your cookies.
I agree. the fact that it's the feds gunning for him, and this was a 6 month investigation probably means he just wasn't using a jr. chemistry set to make small batches of the stuff either.
An indictment issued last week says McGowan, also known as "Fat," is one of several suspects in an ongoing drug investigation. It says he and 10 other people conspired to import drugs from Mexico in late 2018. The U.S. Attorney's Office says authorities are still searching for one of the suspects.
This dude will probably send the rest of his life in prison.McGowan was named in eight charges, according to the indictment:
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Conspiracy to import controlled substances.
- Conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling ($1,004,665.00).
- Interstate travel and transportation in aid of drug trafficking business.
- Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
- Maintaining a drug-involved premise.
- Conspiracy to structure transactions to evade reporting requirement.
- Three counts of unlawful use of a communication facility.
