SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A 38-year-old woman from Gaffney has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for her involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Angela Upchurch was held accountable for distributing 15 pounds of methamphetamine between 2023 and 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
The Methamphetamine Conspiracy
Upchurch’s conviction is tied to a larger drug trafficking operation that distributed methamphetamine throughout the Upstate region. The investigation revealed that she conspired with multiple individuals, including Mikayluh and Mikenzi Walker, Jonathan Sarratt, and others, to bring drugs into the area.
While serving a sentence at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Sarratt coordinated the distribution of the drugs. The Walker twins played key roles in funneling the methamphetamine to sub-distributors, with Upchurch acting as one of the main distributors.
Sentencing of Co-Conspirators
Several individuals involved in the conspiracy have already been sentenced:
- Jonathan Sarratt received a 25-year sentence (300 months).
- Mikayluh Walker was sentenced to 23 years (276 months).
- Mikenzi Walker received a 15-year sentence (180 months).
Upchurch’s Prior Conviction
Upchurch’s sentence also takes into account her prior criminal history. She had a 2017 conviction for accessory after the fact to trafficking. On this latest charge, she was sentenced to 130 months (over 10 years) in federal prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision.
Since the federal system does not offer parole, Upchurch will serve the full length of her prison sentence.
A Blow to Local Trafficking Networks
This conviction is part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat methamphetamine trafficking in the Upstate. Authorities have emphasized the importance of dismantling these networks to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in local communities.
