Gaffney Woman Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Angela Upchurch, 38, of Gaffney, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Upchurch conspired with Mikayluh and Mikenzi Walker, Jonathan Sarratt, and others to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Upstate. Sarratt coordinated the distribution of drugs while serving a sentence at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, and the Walker twins funneled the drugs to sub-distributors, including Upchurch. Upchurch was held accountable for distributing 15 pounds of methamphetamine from 2023 through 2024. Upchurch has a prior conviction for accessory after the fact to trafficking from 2017.

"This drug conspiracy funneled pounds upon pounds of dangerous methamphetamine into the Upstate," said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. "Our office is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these drug dealers from our streets and keep our community safe."

"Methamphetamine trafficking devastates families and communities, fueling addiction and violence across our nation," said Mark M. Zito, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North and South Carolina. "This sentence reflects the unwavering commitment of HSI and our law enforcement partners to disrupt criminal networks and protect the homeland. Through collaboration and determination, we are holding traffickers accountable and making our communities safer."

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Angela Upchurch to 130 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Coggins had previously sentenced Jonathan Sarratt to 300 months imprisonment, Mikayluh Walker to 276 months, and Mikenzi Walker to 180 months.

This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Greenville comprises agents and officers from state, local, and federal agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General, and Anderson County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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