Armed Meth Trafficker Faces 20 to Life After Plea in Federal Court

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Clinton Kent French, age 32, of Lexington, South Carolina, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia, to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Additionally, French entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).  United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, of Columbia, accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report that will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that French was arrested on June 24, 2017 at the Roadway Inn Hotel in Lexington County.  After arresting French, Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant on the room and located 135 grams of crystal methamphetamine packaged in five separate baggies for resale.  Agents also located a Springfield XDS, 9-millimeter firearm loaded with 11 rounds in the room. French admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.  French has multiple prior felony drug convictions which qualify him as both a "career offender" under the United States Sentencing Guidelines as well as an “armed career criminal" pursuant to Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(e).  As a result of his guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm, French faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years with a maximum possible sentence of life without parole.

The case was investigated by agents of the ATF and Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant United States Attorney JD Rowell of the Columbia U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

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