Two defendants plead guilty in Lexington County drug trafficking case

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — It was called the ‘Blue Magic’ drug case due to the color of the fake oxycodone pills that were being sold. 

However, authorities say those pills contained heroin and fentanyl and claimed the life of a teenager.

“You just never know what you’re going to get. It is playing Russian Roulette every time you get one of these,” said Creighton Waters, South Carolina assistant attorney general.

Between June 2018 and May 2019, prosecutors say Shiv Tailor was involved in selling oxycodone pills that authorities say were laced. Most of the pills were sold to Lexington and River Bluff High School Students.

The state prosecutor told the judge a story about Tailor selling a pill that almost caused a man to overdose.

“The reason why that’s important is because Mr. Tailor knew he had a hot batch,” Waters said. “He knew he had a hot batch.”

Shortly after, investigators say a teenager overdosed in his home. His parents who found him were in the courtroom Friday.

Tailor was charged with involuntary manslaughter concerning the overdose death, but his attorney believes his actions were because of Tailor’s own addiction.

“He got rolled up into selling these pills that he was using. If you look at some of the videos when they arrested him, he is plenty messed up,” Tailor’s attorney said. “That’s the best way I can describe it. If you listen to him, he’s slurring his words and using the same junk he’s selling.”

Tailor apologized to the courtroom but was eventually sentenced to the maximum time of 20 years in prison for his charges.

His ex-girlfriend Savannah Stroud was also in court facing drug trafficking charges. 

“I want to be clear that she was not participating along with him. She started to do her own dealing and sold independently of him,” Waters said. “Miss Stroud herself said that during the course of this trafficking conspiracy, there were about 3 thousand pills.”

Due to her cooperation with law enforcement, Stroud faced a shorter sentence.

Her attorney acknowledged her guilt but pointed out that she had been a D1 college athlete before she got involved in taking and selling drugs.

“I do think they put her in this world though. They put her in the world with drugs that she didn’t grow up in,” Stroud’s attorney said. “She was forthcoming with law enforcement and the state grand jury. I would ask that she receive the seven year sentence.”

The judge gave Stroud an 8 year sentence. This was less than the 10 year maximum she faced.

“I just want to say I sincerely apologize for the things I did do. I was wrong and I hope I can continue on with my life after this,” Stroud said, addressing the courtroom.

The third defendant in the ‘Blue Magic’ case, a Saluda County man named Benjamin Johnson, will be in court at a later date. Waters says he provided Tailor and Stroud with many of the thousands of laced pills that they sold.