Police: South Carolina Woman Caught Trafficking Enough Fentanyl to Kill 500K People

Katelin Lee Abernathy
Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office

Police say a 25-year-old South Carolina woman was caught with hundreds of grams of drugs that included fentanyl and methamphetamine in her vehicle.

Deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said they concluded on August 24 that the woman, identified as Katelin Lee Abernathy, was suspected of illegally selling the substances, WYFF reported Wednesday.

The sheriff’s office detailed the case in a social media post, along with a photo of the suspect:

On August 24, 2023, the Spartanburg County Narcotics Unit along with assistance from Spartanburg County Home Detention,…

Posted by Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Once officials put Abernathy under surveillance, they stopped her on Candlenut Lane in Boiling Springs, the agency explained:

During this traffic stop, a K-9 alerted on Abernathy’s vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, the following was located: 941 grams of white powder (presumptive positive for Fentanyl), 20 grams of crystal substance (presumptive positive for Methamphetamine), 1 Glock pistol, and 1 SKS rifle.

Shortly after the stop, a search warrant was obtained for a storage unit used by Abernathy. During the search of that unit, the following was located: 531 grams of white powder (presumptive positive for Fentanyl), 3 handguns, and 4 long guns.

Authorities later charged the suspect with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

She was also denied bond, the sheriff’s office noted.

“A recent article from the Drug Enforcement Administration stated one kilogram of Fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people,” the agency added.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also states that “According to the CDC, synthetic opioids (like fentanyl) are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the United States.”

In April, a Convention of States Action/Trafalgar Group survey found most voters are worried about the masses of fentanyl coming over the nation’s southern border, Breitbart News reported.

WATCH: Feds Seize Near-Record 1.5 Tons Of Meth, Fentanyl, Heroin At California Border Crossing

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

“The U.S. saw 106,699 drug overdose deaths in 2021 alone, and in 2022, law enforcement seized enough fentanyl to kill all Americans, per authorities,” the outlet said.

More recently, the White House asked Congress to shell out another $24 billion to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russia but wanted a mere $800 million to combat the fentanyl and additional lethal drugs hurting Americans across the nation, according to Breitbart News.

“Since his inauguration, Biden has done little to stem the tide of drugs that accompany migrants from Mexico. For example, in 2023, his deputies signed a deal to streamline the flow of migrants from Mexico but have merely continued vague negotiations over drugs,” the report said.

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