Last week, William Eugene Parham, a 46 year old Saluda man, pled guilty to Distribution of Crack Cocaine within Proximity to a School, Playground or Education Center.  Parham was sentenced to eight (8) years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.  Under South Carolina law, this charge is classified as a “serious” offense.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor Doug Fender and investigated by the Saluda County Sheriff's Department.

During the fall of 2017, Investigator Josh Price conducted surveillance on Parham.  Parham was selling crack cocaine in parking lots and on side streets near a public playground. He was also selling near the Riverside Community Center, a nonprofit afterschool program and food bank in the town of Saluda.  Price, working with Officers from the Town of Saluda Police Department and Saluda County Sheriff’s Department, conducted numerous undercover crack cocaine purchases from Parham. Parham has prior criminal convictions, including convictions for the sale of narcotics. 

  After Parham’s arrest, Investigator Josh Price remarked, “Law enforcement is committed to bringing drug dealers to justice, especially when they are selling dangerous drugs around the playgrounds and community centers where our children go to learn and play.”