CHARLESTON, SC — A 38-year-old Walterboro man has been convicted in federal court in Charleston of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Marion Katrell Campbell was found guilty Thursday and awaits sentencing, U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced in a news release. Campbell awaits sentencing by U.S. District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks, who presided over the trial.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, through a long-running partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute federal crimes in the 14th Circuit.
“The partnership between our office and the United States Attorney’s Office has been tremendously successful and continues to make the 14th Circuit a safer place to live,” 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said.
Campbell is the 29th defendant convicted in federal court through the Solicitor’s Office’s partnerships, which affords prosecutors stiffer penalties for many gun and drug violations than are available under South Carolina law.
Evidence presented at the trial established that on July 8, 2017, Campbell was the driver and sole occupant of a car stopped by officers with the Walterboro Police Department for a defective headlight. A K9 search was conducted on the vehicle after the defendant was placed under arrest for driving under suspension and failure to pay multiple traffic citations.
Officers found a loaded .38-caliber Charter Arms revolver under the driver’s seat, and extra ammunition on the driver’s side floorboard and in the driver’s door. They also discovered plastic bags containing methamphetamine in the driver’s door and center console, as well as additional plastic baggies used for packaging drugs for distribution on the front passenger seat and in the passenger door. In total, there were five plastic bags containing prepackaged smaller bags of methamphetamine in the car. Within those five bags, were 42 individual bags of methamphetamine measured out in various weights for distribution. The total net weight of the methamphetamine was a little less than 37 grams. After the defendant was arrested, he placed numerous phone calls to his friends and family from jail trying to convince other people to claim the firearm located in the vehicle that night.
Campbell faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Walterboro Police Department and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Henderson and Assistant United States Jamie Schoen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charleston prosecuted the case.
