Florence, S.C. — Five individuals, including 37-year-old Jawan White, are facing significant prison time following a federal grand jury indictment for conspiring to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout South Carolina and beyond. The announcement was made on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
White, currently serving a 25-year sentence on unrelated drug charges at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, is now facing additional charges. While incarcerated, White allegedly continued his involvement in a drug distribution operation. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.
The indictment also includes four co-defendants: 38-year-old Derrell Sherald, 30-year-old Alexis Loscar, 34-year-old Amon Rutledge, and 21-year-old Christian Vargas. Each of them has been charged with drug conspiracy.
Rutledge faces a life sentence, while Sherald, Loscar, and Vargas face up to 20 years in prison. Loscar and Rutledge are being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, Sherald is incarcerated at the Florence County Detention Center, and Vargas was last reported to be in custody in Arizona.
The case is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. These agencies have been working together to combat the distribution of illegal narcotics in the state.
As this case continues to unfold, authorities are highlighting the severity of drug trafficking operations and the consequences for those involved in such crimes.
