Richland County man pleads guilty to drug offenses

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO)– A Richland County man has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime, says the DOJ.

Evidence obtained during an investigation revealed that on April 20, 2024, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a service call at a home in Richland County.

Upon their arrival, the deputy observed a vehicle sitting in the middle of the road with the brake lights on.

The deputy approached the vehicle and found Nathan Johnson, Jr., asleep in the car with the car in drive and his foot on the brake.

After the deputy woke Johnson up, the deputy told him to put the car in park, but Johnson put the car in reverse and struck the marked unit, says the DOJ.

Also, the DOJ says after getting Johnson out of the vehicle, the deputy searched him and found more than 100 grams of cocaine in his pocket and a .45 caliber pistol in the glove compartment.

Johnson faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.