RIDGELAND, S.C. (March 17, 2026) – A Hardeeville man will spend two decades in prison after pleading guilty to heroin trafficking Tuesday, just before his jury trial was to begin in Jasper County General Sessions Court.
Mark Elliott Martin Jr., 34, also pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
“Drug-trafficking continues to pose a serious threat to public safety in our communities,” said Marshall Frodsham of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who prosecuted the case. “In this case, the defendant not only possessed a significant amount of heroin; he also had multiple firearms readily accessible. This guilty plea holds him accountable and reflects the commitment by our office, as well as Hardeeville Police, to aggressively prosecute these serious crimes.”
On June 28, 2023, Hardeeville Police officers responded to a report of a missing juvenile female believed to be staying with Martin at a local motel. Officers found Martin as he arrived in the motel’s parking lot and saw two small children inside his vehicle, along with an AK-style rifle and a handgun. The weapons were in plain view and within Martin’s reach. Martin was detained for officer safety and advised of his rights.
During the encounter, officers retrieved about 23 grams of heroin from Martin’s pocket. A subsequent search of his vehicle, conducted after officers secured a warrant, recovered the additional firearms, including a loaded handgun.
Circuit Court Judge Robert Bonds handed down the sentence.
Martin faces additional drug-related charges in South Carolina and Georgia, in unrelated incidents.
Frodsham is a team attorney who prosecutes cases in Jasper County. He has worked for the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office since 2024.
