Five individuals have pleaded guilty in connection with the South Carolina State Grand Jury narcotics trafficking investigation known as “Devil in Disguise,” according to an announcement from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. The pleas were entered during the court week of March 2, 2026.
“The Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners have aggressively used the State Grand Jury to get fentanyl dealers and career criminals off the street,” said Attorney General Wilson.
Clyde Leon Holmes admitted guilt to charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, money laundering, and trafficking methamphetamine. He received a 15-year sentence from Judge R. Scott Sprouse. Bryant Bernard Fuller also pleaded guilty to several offenses, such as money laundering, multiple counts of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime; he was sentenced to 15 years.
Authorities suspect both Holmes and Fuller of distributing fentanyl that led to overdose deaths in Greenville’s Woodruff Road area. After their arrests, overdose fatalities in that region reportedly declined.
Patrick Jermain Clement pleaded guilty to two counts of cocaine distribution, trafficking fentanyl, and trafficking methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 15 years. Rodney Lemont Carter Jr. admitted guilt for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, trafficking fentanyl, possessing a weapon during a violent crime, and trafficking methamphetamine; he received a 10-year sentence.
Tavis Demond Barnette (also known as “YAB”) was on the trial docket but pleaded guilty just before his trial began. His charges included large-scale methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking across four counties between March 2021 and January 2025, as well as using a drone to drop contraband into Jasper County prison. Barnette was sentenced to 20 years.
Attorney General Wilson thanked partner agencies for their efforts on this case: “The Attorney General’s Office would especially like to thank the law enforcement officers involved in the trial preparation of Tavis Barnette.”
Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude handled the guilty pleas. The investigation involved cooperation among numerous agencies at state and local levels—including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; several sheriff’s offices; municipal police departments; county coroner’s offices; federal authorities; and specialized task forces—demonstrating extensive collaboration on criminal prosecutions by the South Carolina Attorney General’s office (https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/).
The South Carolina Attorney General operates statewide as its primary legal advocate and enforcer (https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/), working closely with law enforcement partners across jurisdictions (https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/). The office is also responsible for victim advocacy initiatives (https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/) under Alan Wilson’s leadership (https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/).
Attorney General Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
