Man Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking in South Carolina

A Greenville, SC resident was sentenced to 40 years in prison for heroin trafficking.

Emmanual Marquez Rodriguez, 33, was convicted by the 13th Circuit for the heroin trafficking charge, and according to prosecutors, he will have to serve at least 85% of that sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Rodriguez was arrested while on a bus from Atlanta, GA into South Carolina. He stowed his suitcase in the bus’s cargo bay, and when K9 units searched the bus at a regularly-scheduled stop, the drug-sniffing dogs found heroin in the suitcase.

According to police reports, Rodriguez’s suitcase held more than 2 kilograms – almost 4 and a half pounds – of heroin. This was far more than necessary to charge Rodriguez with heroin trafficking, especially because he was crossing state lines with the drugs.

NC Man Arrested on Heroin Trafficking Charges

On Thursday, September 4th, a man from Kill Devil Hills, NC was arrested on heroin trafficking charges.

Gregory Maurice Hawkins, 46, has been charged with trafficking in heroin, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver heroin, sell/deliver heroin, conspire to sell/deliver heroin, and maintain a vehicle/dwelling/place to keep controlled substances.

Dare County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Steve Hoggard reported that Hawkins had an amount of heroin that would lead to a heroin trafficking charge, although he did not specify how much. He added that investigators also found a large amount of cash, suggesting drug deals.

Hawkins is currently in jail in North Carolina on a $340,000 bond.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Drug Charges from Simple Possession to Heroin Trafficking

The penalties for a drug trafficking conviction in South Carolina are severe. Your rights, freedom, and future are at stake.

Defendants facing drug penalties in South Carolina can be punished with a monetary fine and mandatory minimum sentences of up to life in prison with no chance of parole, depending on:

• the amount of drugs involved
• whether the case is brought in state or federal district court, and
• how many prior drug offenses a defendant has.

Trafficking charges are based upon the weight of the drug you are in possession of:

• Ten grams of cocaine
• Four grams of heroin
• Ten pounds of marijuana

Penalties for drug trafficking can include a minimum sentencing of 25 years. Trafficking and distribution offenses are considered violent, no-parole offenses and a conviction can certainly have you serving the full time you are sentenced to.

Drug charges, including methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or prescription drugs, need to be examined from every angle, and in many cases are subject to mandatory minimum sentences. Aggressive representation can protect your future. Drug crime charges and drug busts in South Carolina are very serious. The drug possession and drug trafficking lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, LLC,  include a former United States Attorney and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, a former Public Defender, and a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor. Mr. Strom has been given an AV-Rating, the highest ranking possible, from the respected legal guide Martindale-Hubble. If you have been charged with possession, trafficking, or manufacturing drugs, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today by calling (803)252-4800.