Former Richland County Recreation Commission Employee Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that James Anthony Brown, age 39, of Columbia, entered a guilty plea today before Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson to one count of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). As a result of this plea, Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a possible maximum of 40 years imprisonment, followed by at least 4 years of supervised release.

Evidence presented in court established that on May 27, 2016, Richland County Deputy Sheriffs stopped Brown after deputies observed him retrieving a package, suspected of containing narcotics, from the front porch of a residence in Columbia, SC. After encountering Brown, deputies searched the package and found 11.9 pounds of marijuana. Deputies then searched Brown’s home and found a second package containing approximately 775 grams of methamphetamine (street value of approximately $20,000). This second package was addressed to Brown and had the same return address as the previous package containing 11.9 pounds of marijuana. Additionally, deputies found more marijuana, drug paraphernalia, ecstasy and an assault rifle inside of Brown’s home.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys William C. Lewis and Alyssa L. Richardson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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