TESTIMONY PERSUADES JUDGE TO HOLD KEEL

FLORENCE | A Little River man indicted on federal drug charges along with
suspended Atlantic Beach Town Councilman Vander Gore traveled to New York
to buy drugs and sold them on Atlantic Beach's streets, a Drug Enforcement
Administration official said Friday. Andy Keel, 29, of Little River, was a
"mid-level" dealer associated with Gore's family, Joseph Koenig, a DEA task
force officer, testified at a detention hearing for Keel on Friday. Keel
was denied bail. Koenig testified that Keel transported and sold at least
2,000 grams of powder and 3,300 grams of crack cocaine in the North Myrtle
Beach area in the early to mid-1990s. Koenig said Friday afternoon that the
drugs were valued at $530,000. Keel also discharged a firearm into a
nightclub that a man who owed him drug money was patronizing, Koenig
testified, referring to information he's received from informants. In a
separate incident, Keel fired a gun into a chair where the same man was
sitting, Koenig said. As a result of Koenig's testimony, U.S. Magistrate
Judge Terry Wooten ruled to keep Keel at the Florence County Detention
Center pending trial. "The safety of the community can't be assured" if
Keel is released, Wooten said regarding the firearm allegations. "I can't
ignore that he is facing a large sentence if convicted." Michael Nettles,
Keel's lawyer, said his client isn't a flight risk. He described Keels as a
mild-mannered, respectful high-school graduate who attended more than three
years of college in Fayetteville, N.C.

Keel, along with Vander Gore, 66, Gore's sons Jeffrey Lee Gore, 32, and
Vander Keith Gore, 41, and Anthony Pridgen, 26, were indicted June 19 on
charges of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and
more than 5 kilograms of powder cocaine. The government alleges they have
made $5 million in drug sales since 1988.

If convicted, they could face sentences of 10 years to life imprisonment, a
$4 million fine and a five-year supervised release. S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges
signed an executive order this week to suspend Vander More Gore, an
eight-year councilman, because he was indicted on federal drug charges.
Gore will remain suspended until he is convicted or found innocent. DEA
officials arrested the Gores and Pridgen on June 27. Keel, who was
considered a fugitive, turned himself in to authorities a few days later.
During Friday's hearing, Nettles stressed the fact that Keel turned himself
in to argue that Keel should be released from jail and would not be a
flight risk. He asked the court to consider electronic monitoring for Keel.
"My client knew the federal agents were looking for him," Nettles said. "He
retained my services and turned himself in." Keel has nine siblings, one of
whom is former Atlantic Beach Councilwoman Eva McMillan, Nettles said.
Another sister is a Loris police officer, he said. A number of Keel's
family members cried after the judge's ruling. Keel turned to them and
said, "I'm all right," repeatedly. As court officials led him away, he
urged his relatives to be strong.