Girl Scout Cookie Buyer A Drug Dealer, Not a Hero: Feds

MAULDIN, SC — A South Carolina man who bought $540 in Girl Scout cookies to get a shivering troop out of the cold, 34-degree weather was called an “amazing soul,” “a real-life hero” and was otherwise praised for his gesture of goodwill. A federal grand jury called Detric Lee “Fat” McGowan a drug dealer and accused him and nine others of conspiring to sell cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.

McGowan and the others were swept up in a large-scale federal drug investigation. The indictment was unsealed Tuesday, the same day Patch and several other news outlets published stories of his good deed. He wasn’t identified in a photo on the now-deleted Facebook post by Kayla Dillard, who manages cookie sales for Mauldin Girl Scout Troop 1547, but internet sleuths were determined to learn his identity.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and other investigators had known who he was since at least 2016, according to the indictment. Arrest warrants were issued Feb. 19, four days before his magnanimous act, and McGowan was picked up Tuesday. He has pleaded not guilty to eight counts felony drug and racketeering charges, according to reports.

In a statement, the Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands said it will cooperate with authorities.

"Nobody was hurt. Nobody was threatened. We had no reason to believe that this man was anything other than one of our valuable customers that is helping Girl Scouts power awesome experiences through the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

"This is now in the hands of law enforcement and of course we will cooperate with authorities."

McGowan, who made an initial appearance Tuesday, remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals. He and the others have a bond hearing on Friday, according to reports.

Read the indictment here.

Read the original story: Stranger Buys $540 In Girl Scout Cookies To Get Troop Out Of Cold