A Thursday narcotics raid in Lancaster County ended with a Kershaw man in handcuffs after deputies say they uncovered fentanyl, methamphetamine and a sizable stash of firearms at his home. Authorities identified the suspect as 46-year-old Jarvis Mandrell Anthony, who is being held at the Lancaster County Detention Center on a long list of felony charges. Two other people were also arrested during the operation, according to county officials.
Investigators say the Lancaster County multijurisdictional narcotics task force first made a controlled purchase, then moved in with a search warrant at Anthony’s Fork Hill Road home in Kershaw. The raid involved the county SWAT team, SLED agents and Homeland Security Investigations, and the arrest followed the controlled buy and the warrant execution, law enforcement reported. For more on the operation details, see Queen City News.
What officers found
Deputies say the search turned up 10.54 grams of suspected fentanyl, along with suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and pills believed to be alprazolam. They also reported finding digital scales and packaging materials consistent with distribution.
On the gun side, officers seized nine handguns, two shotguns, including one with a sawed-off barrel, an AR-style rifle, ammunition and spare magazines. Investigators say one of the handguns had been reported stolen from another county. Sheriff Barry Faile said Anthony "was tossing drugs out the window into the yard" as deputies closed in, according to Queen City News.
Charges and custody
The sheriff's office says Anthony is facing at least 42 counts. Those include multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl in an amount between 4 to 14 grams, and numerous weapons charges tied to prior convictions. Several counts also allege drug distribution in proximity to Marion Boan Park.
Two others were charged in connection with the raid. Richard Kevin Outen and Brittany Francis Gainey were booked into jail and received bond amounts of $9,000 and $10,000 respectively, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. The office says Anthony was denied bond and remains in custody.
Local context
Investigators say this case tracks with a pattern they have been seeing in Lancaster County: relatively small but dangerous quantities of fentanyl showing up alongside guns in neighborhood homes.
In March, deputies reported finding nearly 14 grams of suspected fentanyl and multiple guns at a South Avenue residence, a case that helped spur stepped-up task-force work in the area, according to nearly 14 grams of suspected fentanyl and multiple guns.
Legal implications
Under South Carolina law, possession of four grams or more of fentanyl can be charged as trafficking, with penalties climbing sharply for higher amounts and repeat offenders. Separate weapons charges, including possession of a firearm by someone with a prior violent-felony conviction and possession of a weapon during certain crimes, also carry substantial potential prison time under the South Carolina Code.
How to help
The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information related to this case or similar drug activity to call 803-283-3388 (option 4). Tipsters can also submit information anonymously at p3tips.com/983. The sheriff's office lists these contacts on its website for people who want to share information without giving their names.
