BEAUFORT, S.C. (Jan. 29, 2026) – A 46-year-old Bluffton man with a long history of drug offenses has been convicted of a drug charge stemming from a controlled purchase on Hilton Head Island.
A Beaufort County General Sessions Court jury found Danardis Quaviel Mitchell, 46, guilty Tuesday of distribution of fentanyl, which he sold to a confidential informant. Mitchell was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison.
“This conviction reflects the methodical work of law enforcement and underscores our commitment to holding drug dealers accountable, especially those who bring deadly substances like fentanyl into our community,” said Alexa Casavecchia of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who prosecuted the case.
Alexa Casavecchia makes her opening argument during the trial of Denardis Mitchell, who was found guilty of distributing fentanyl.
Casavecchia called four witnesses during two days of testimony at the Beaufort County Courthouse.
On Nov. 13, 2020, an informant working with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office arranged to purchase drugs from Mitchell. The purchase, made with $300 in pre-marked bills, was made in the parking lot of a shopping center on Hilton Head’s Mathews Drive.
The informant entered Mitchell’s vehicle and exchanged the cash for a white powder in a baggie that was sold as heroin. Analysts in the Sheriff’s Office laboratory determined the substance was actually fentanyl.
The exchange took place near Hilton Head Christian Academy. However, the jury found Mitchell not guilty of distributing fentanyl within a half mile of a school, a law that requires proof the defendant knew he was within proximity of a school.
Mitchell’s criminal history dates to 2000 and includes convictions for conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute crack, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and three instances of driving under suspension.
Circuit Court Judge Carmen T. Mullen handed down the sentence.
Casavecchia is a team attorney who prosecutes Beaufort County cases. She has worked for the Solicitor’s Office since 2025.
