Swansea Man Sentenced to Thirty Years in Federal Prison on Federal Drug Charges

Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon announced today that James C. Edgerton, IV, age 35, was sentenced in federal court in Columbia after pleading guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.  Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia, sentenced Edgerton to 30 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.   

Evidence presented in the case established that Edgerton organized the transportation, packaging, and distribution of significant quantities of heroin and methamphetamine.  The drugs were purchased in the Atlanta area and then distributed throughout the Columbia area by Edgerton and his associates.  During the course of the investigation, Edgerton admitted to purchasing 15 kilograms of ice from an individual in Atlanta.  The evidence also showed that Edgerton was responsible for having multiple kilograms of heroin brought from Atlanta to the Columbia area for distribution.

The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and 5^th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office and former Assistant United States Attorney Bill Day of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.

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