A special term of court was held yesterday in Lexington County which focused on drug cases. Circuit Court Judge Donald Hocker presided in court and handled 25 guilty pleas, many of which involved the manufacture of methamphetamine and drug dealers in our county. The infiltration of methamphetamine has been the catalyst for numerous crimes in our community, including recent homicide cases. Several defendants were sentenced to a period of incarceration in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

Repeat offender Tyler Atkinson was sentenced to 15 years for Manufacturing Methamphetamine, 2nd Offense. In December 2015, an investigation into stolen mopeds in the Midlands area lead to a hotel room in the West Columbia where Atkinson was found to be actively manufacturing meth. Our office would like to thank Sgt. Bill Finch of the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, as well as the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team for their work on this case. Atkinson has numerous prior felony convictions involving drugs and violence in Lexington County. Assistant Solicitor Bradley Pogue handled the prosecution of this case for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Another repeat offender Adam Branham was sentenced to 9 years for Possession with intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, 2nd offense. Branham was out on Parole for Manufacturing Methamphetamine, which he pled to in 2015. While his Probation Agents were doing a home visit they saw methamphetamine in his room in plain view. They called and alerted the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team who got a search warrant. Law enforcement found 6 grams of methamphetamine, cash in small denominations, and baggies. Assistant Solicitor Matt Edgerton handled the prosecution of this case for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Our office is thankful for all of our Lexington County narcotics agents for the work that they do as they fight to keep our communities safe from drugs.