Repeat Drug Offender, Kenneth Charles Looney, received a 15 year sentence yesterday in Lexington County for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine - 2nd Offense, Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, and Possession of a Firearm by a person convicted of a Violent Felony. The sentence was handed down by Circuit Court Judge Jocelyn Newman.

Assistant Solicitors Melanie Graham and Matt Edgerton handled the prosecution of this case. Looney was scheduled to go to trial on all counts this week in the County of Lexington when he elected to enter a guilty plea instead.

Evidence prepared for trial established that on May 16, 2017, agents at the Lexington County Sheriff's Department with Lexington County’s Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) executed a search warrant where Looney was found in possession of four times the legal inference weight for “black tar” heroin. Looney was also in possession of over five grams of “ice,” a common form of methamphetamine. Looney was in possession of over $4,000 cash, packaging baggies, and digital scales, all associated with the distribution of illegal narcotics. Looney was also in possession of a loaded .40 caliber Taurus pistol. Due to a previous violent crime conviction for drug trafficking, he was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Assistant Solicitor Graham remarked, “We take cases like Looney’s very seriously in our Circuit as the State’s death rate due to heroin and opioid overdoses has exceeded the State’s homicide rate in recent years. This case is an excellent example of the continued dedication Lexington County’s NET has shown in combating this epidemic.”

This is a second strike for Looney. He will be required to serve at least 85% of his prison sentence without parole. Looney’s prior record includes convictions for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, strong arm robbery, and a 2012 conviction for trafficking methamphetamine.