Horry County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Charges

Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Emmanuel Lamar Bellamy, age 29, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base and oxycodone, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The case was part of an investigation into a heroin distribution organization operating in the Horry County, South Carolina area. Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) were investigating illegal drug activity in the Loris, South Carolina area. Agents believed that Bellamy was a distributor of illegal drugs. Evidence at the change of plea hearing established that in 2015, agents made two controlled purchases of cocaine base from Bellamy. In September 2016, Bellamy was arrested during a traffic stop and found in possession of a quantity of cocaine. A firearm was also recovered during the traffic stop. As a result of the arrest, a hotel room connected with Bellamy was searched and a quantity of cocaine and fentanyl was located in the room.  

Ms. Drake stated that the maximum penalty Bellamy could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 dollars.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department (HCPD). Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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