Six people from the Upstate region of South Carolina, including twin sisters and their grandmother, were sentenced Friday to a combined 813 months in federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
Mikayluh and Mikenzi Walker, both 26 and residents of Gaffney, were at the center of the drug trafficking ring that stretched across state lines, sourcing methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia. The operation used multiple stash houses, one of which was shared with their grandmother, Sondra Walker, 67, who also participated in distributing drugs.
According to federal prosecutors, Mikayluh Walker alone was responsible for distributing 250 kilograms of meth and over 600 grams of fentanyl, while Mikenzi handled 86 pounds of meth and 10 grams of fentanyl. Authorities linked additional distribution to Christopher Biggerstaff, 42, of Chesnee, who was found with drugs and firearms during the investigation.
The case also involved Brenda Mincey, 34, who was arrested in July 2023 with methamphetamine and fentanyl pills sourced from the Walker twins, and Aa’lyah Tukes, 29, of Simpsonville, who helped store and conceal drug proceeds at her residence and in her vehicle.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Mikayluh Walker to 276 months in prison, Mikenzi Walker to 180 months, and Biggerstaff to 192 months. Mincey received 85 months, Tukes 32 months, and Sondra Walker was sentenced to 48 months of home incarceration. Each will also serve supervised release following their terms.
Large quantities of drugs, cash, and weapons seized
Law enforcement recovered substantial quantities of narcotics and firearms during the course of the investigation. A search warrant executed at the Gaffney residence shared by Mikayluh and Sondra Walker yielded 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, 5,000 fentanyl pills, and a 12-gauge shotgun.
On the same day, officials stopped Tukes’ vehicle and discovered more than $129,000 in suspected drug proceeds. An additional $21,000 in cash was found at her apartment. Prosecutors cited this as evidence of the scale and profitability of the operation.
Biggerstaff, who had a significant criminal history, was stopped in January 2024 after surveillance revealed he was picking up drugs from one of the Walker stash houses. He was found in possession of 421 grams of meth and two pistols. Over the course of the conspiracy, he trafficked more than 26 kilograms of meth and carried multiple firearms.
Sondra Walker, in addition to permitting the use of her home for drug storage and distribution, also participated directly in trafficking activities, authorities said. Her sentence includes a term of supervised release following home incarceration.
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Jonathan Adam Sarratt, another alleged co-conspirator, has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing in federal court.