Executive Summary
- Braden Spears Bowers sentenced to 25 years in prison for cocaine trafficking.
- Defendant fled to Mexico after removing his ankle monitor while on bond.
- U.S. Marshals Task Force extradited Bowers back to the U.S. in January 2026.
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. — A Greenville County man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug trafficking following an international manhunt that concluded with his extradition from Mexico, according to the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Braden Spears Bowers, 37, appeared in General Sessions Court on Friday to receive his sentence. Prosecutors stated that the proceedings stemmed from an incident in September 2022, when Bowers was arrested for possession of 200 grams of cocaine in Greenville County. On January 9, 2023, he pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine in quantities between 28 and 100 grams, and a sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for March 2024.
According to the solicitor’s office, Bowers was released on bond following his guilty plea. Authorities allege that he subsequently removed his ankle monitor and fled the country. The U.S. Marshals Task Force initiated an investigation to locate him, eventually tracking him to Mexico. Investigators confirmed that Bowers was extradited from Mexico to Montgomery County, Texas, in January 2026.
A joint operation involving the U.S. Marshals Task Force and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office facilitated Bowers' return to the Greenville County Detention Center on Thursday. Consequently, the court sentenced Bowers to serve 25 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Judicial & Enforcement Implications
This case underscores the extensive capabilities of federal and local law enforcement agencies to coordinate across international borders to apprehend fugitives. The involvement of the U.S. Marshals Service in securing an extradition from Mexico demonstrates the rigorous mechanisms in place to enforce judicial orders when defendants violate bond conditions. The significant 25-year sentence likely reflects the severity of the original trafficking charges combined with the substantial resources required to address the defendant’s flight from justice, serving as a deterrent against bail jumping in high-level narcotics cases.
