Palmetto State News

(COLUMBIA, SC) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that Jennifer Nicole Burns, who was indicted in the State Grand Jury “Las Senoritas” investigation and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, has been expelled from Mexico and is now in the custody of SLED. 

The investigation is named “Las Señoritas” because several of the main targets are females that fled to Mexico to escape prosecution in the United States.  Burns allegedly fled to Mexico in March of 2019 in connection with another State Grand Jury case.  Burns, who is considered a “Señorita,” has been living in Mexico among the Jalisco New Generation Cartel members and sourcing drugs directly from the Cartel. 

Burns and other “Señoritas” would allegedly coordinate with SCDC inmates via contraband cell phones to have drugs, primarily methamphetamine, delivered to co-conspirators in the South Carolina Upstate primarily in Greenville and Pickens Counties.  The co-conspirators would drive to Atlanta, GA or other locations to pick up kilograms of methamphetamine, bring that methamphetamine to South Carolina, and distribute it in the Upstate.  Between February 1, 2021 and December 14, 2022, law enforcement seized over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine (street value of approximately $800,000.00) and 30 guns as part of this investigation.

The US Marshals and SLED worked together to coordinate Burns return to the US.  On May 21, 2023, SLED agents traveled to Houston, Texas to take custody of Burns and bring her back to South Carolina to face her charges. 

Burns had a bond hearing on May 24, 2023 where, at the request of the State, the Honorable Robert E. Hood denied her bond.

Burns is facing up to 100 years in prison.  In addition to the Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy) charge in “Las Señoritas,” Burns is also charged in the “Prison Empire” investigation with Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More, Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. 

Chelsie Marie Anderson, Amy Deanna Cobb A/K/A “Emma,” Marcy Dawn Vickers, Kelli Denise Edwards, and Michael Perino Pardi, who are all from the Upstate, remain at large in Mexico.  Law enforcement is continuing efforts to ensure all of these defendants are brought to justice.      

The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which was assisted in this case by a partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Corrections’ Office of the Inspector General, the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriff’s Department, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Pickens County Sheriff’s  Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Clemson Police Department, Easley Police Department, and Traveler’s Rest Police Department.

Attorney General Wilson and Solicitor Wilkins stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

Original source can be found here