Associated Press

Six people named in the third indictment stemming from Operation Jackpot, the federal government’s probe into the financial workings of drug smuggling, have drawn prison terms of 18 months to four years.

U.S. Attorney Henry D. McMaster said Chief U.S. District Judge Charles E. Simons Jr. imposed the sentences Thursday and Friday in Aiken and Columbia.

The defendants were involved in a smuggling ring operated by Richard Furman Bradford III and Joseph Allen Patterson IV, who were convicted of drug racketeering under the so called “kingpin” statute.

The government indicted 49 people and has obtained convictions or guilty pleas from 44 defendants. Four others are fugitives, and one died while awaiting trial.

Simons imposed four-year prison terms on Bette Ruth Bishop Patterson, 32, of Frogmore; James Furman Gambrell, 28, of Elgin; and Edward Stanley Janas, 29, of Charleston.

Donald Rader, 32, of Lexington received a three-year prison term; Bruce Allen Freeman, 46, formerly of Columbia, was given two years in prison; and Robert D. Lemieux, 31, of Beaufort, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Janas and Gambrell also received special parole terms of 10 years. Should they violate the conditions of the special parole, they would be subject to reimprisonment for the length of the special parole term.

Gambrell pleaded guilty to one count each of smuggling marijuana and income-tax evasion. Janas pleaded guilty to one count each of smuggling and possession of marijuana.

Mrs. Patterson admitted to one count of transporting U.S. currency without reporting it and was also charged with one count of filing a false income-tax return. Lemieux pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess marijuana.

Rader pleaded guilty to one county of conspiracy to smuggle marijuana, and Freeman was convicted of conspiracy to smuggle and posse marijuana.

Operation Jackpot indictments have produced 92 convictions or guilty pleas and the seizure of more than $11 million in drug-related assets since the investigative task force of federal and state agents was formed almost three years ago, McMaster said.