Greenville County deputies seized more than five and a half pounds of illegal drugs during a bust in the White Horse Road area, including nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine and over 377 grams of fentanyl, and arrested three men now facing trafficking charges. The operation also turned up cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, according to deputies.
WSPA 7News reported that the bust involved multiple drugs. The bust was carried out by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office Directed Patrol Unit during a proactive investigation in the White Horse Road corridor, according to a sheriff's office report relayed by Malarkey News.
Three Men Face Trafficking and Bond Violation Charges
Barry L. Whitner was charged with trafficking fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, failure to stop for a blue light, and commission of a violent crime while on bond, per the WSPA report. Joseph Wright faces two counts of trafficking crack and methamphetamine along with the same bond-violation charge.
Karacus K. Freeman Sr. faces the most extensive list of charges, including trafficking fentanyl, trafficking cocaine, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of crack and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute a scheduled controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute in proximity of a school, according to WSPA. Freeman also faces third-offense trafficking and possession charges involving crack and methamphetamine. A GreerNews.com report lists Freeman for driving under suspension, DUI-related, first offense.
South Carolina Methamphetamine Law
Under South Carolina Code § 44-53-375, possession of 10 grams or more of methamphetamine is prima facie evidence of intent to traffic, according to Hoodline. The methamphetamine haul was nearly 1,968 grams. Methamphetamine trafficking convictions are no-parole offenses, according to Hoodline.
Part of a Broader Upstate Pattern
The bust lands amid a documented overdose crisis in the region. South Carolina recorded 2,157 fatal drug overdoses statewide in 2023, according to South Carolina Department of Public Health figures cited by Hoodline.
It also follows a string of major Greenville County trafficking cases that have ended in lengthy prison terms. In August, two defendants were sentenced to prison after a separate Greenville County bust yielded over 1,700 grams of methamphetamine — a haul comparable to the nearly 2,000 grams seized this time, as Hoodline previously reported.
Whitner, Wright, and Freeman face charges in connection with the White Horse Road seizure. It remains unclear whether the drugs originated from a single distribution point along the corridor or whether state or federal prosecutors will ultimately handle the case.
