Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty on Drug Conspiracy Charge

Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2105

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Roberto Yamil Velez-Garcia, age 30, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl 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. 

This case was part of an investigation conducted by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Florence, South Carolina, and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) Conway, South Carolina into the sale of heroin and other illegal drugs in the Horry County, South Carolina area. Velez-Garcia was identified as a heroin distributor. Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that agents made a controlled purchase of a quantity of fentanyl from Velez-Garcia in December 2015. In May 2016, agents arranged a second controlled purchase of heroin from Velez-Garcia and a coconspirator. After the purchase was made, Velez-Garcia and the coconspirator were arrested. A search warrant was executed at an apartment Velez-Garcia shared with the coconspirator. Agents recovered approximately 95 grams of heroin and two firearms from the apartment.   

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

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Florence, South Carolina, and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) Conway, South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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