wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |Fighting to keep drugs out of neighborhood

Fighting to keep drugs out of neighborhood

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ELGIN, SC (WIS) - For 40 years, Lela McGhee has called the Elgin neighborhood of Dixonville home.

"I never would have thought this little place would have got like it was," said McGhee.

The 61-year-old says she's seen her neighborhood change from a safe community where neighbors looked out for each other to a place known for something else.

"Gangsters, dope addicts, crack," she said.  "And that wasn't here when we moved here."

"I was so afraid that some of our kids were going to get hurt," said McGhee. " I was so afraid there were going to be drive by shootings.  I started once to move but I said no, I paid for this. I'm too old to get out there and start over again."

It was complaints like McGhee's that helped Kershaw County Sheriff's deputies nab four suspected drug dealers.

Sheriff Jim Matthews says lately they've arrested more than 40 people for drug related crimes in Dixonville.

"We're not going to let up," said Matthews. "We think we got the major guys off the street. But that doesn't mean we're going away.

McGhee has faith the Sheriff's Department will run the drug dealers out of her neighborhood.

"I'm glad to see it's getting cleaned up," said McGhee.  "Probably got a little bit more to do but I'm quite sure Sheriff Mathews will get it clean. This has been the quietest I've ever seen in a long time."

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