Following complaints by neighbors of drug activity, DEU agents and Georgetown Sheriff’s executed a search warrant on a residence. Once inside, the police arrested the four suspects. A search of the house revealed several grams of marijuana, cocaine, scales, packaging materials, illegal firearms, prescription pills, over $12,000 in cash and various stolen property. These four suspects are implicated in a multitude of crimes including drugs, firearms and distribution charges.

South Carolina punishes drug offenders severely. South Carolina, like the federal government, divides drugs offenses into different Schedules. If a drug is on a lower number on the Schedule, then it is more dangerous and the harsher the punishment. The higher number a drug is on the Schedule, then it is less dangerous and usually is punished only with misdemeanors and fines. Depending upon whether you are facing Schedule I or Schedule V narcotics charges, you could be looking at anything between a felony charge with large fines and a lengthy prison term to a misdemeanor charge with smaller fines and no prison time.

However, also consider that most of the time, the prosecutor does not rely on a single narcotic as evidence at trial. Usually, the police will recover multiple narcotics of different types that are represented on all of the Schedules. So it is likely that if you are arrested on drug charges, you will face multiple felony and misdemeanor charges for many different kinds of drugs, similar to the four suspects arrested earlier this week. A criminal trial hardly ever depends on a single charge; the prosecutor will try to levy as many as possible in the hopes that one will stick because it only takes one charge to get you in jail.

South Carolina takes drug offenses seriously. Retaining an attorney as quickly as possible may help to ensure that your rights are protected. This is especially true if you face multiple charges implicating different drug offenses. Being charged and arrested isn’t the end, it is only the beginning of your legal defense. A criminal defense attorney may be able to offer you advice and guidance in such a critical time.

Source: Southstrand News, “DEU: 4 arrested after Georgetown drug raid,” Max Hrenda, Nov. 10, 2015.