MYRTLE BEACH, SC — A Myrtle Beach man, Jason Garrett, 36, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl after pleading guilty on Monday.
Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson announced that Garrett entered his guilty plea just a week before his trial was set to begin.
Garrett was arrested in June 2023 by a Horry County Police Department officer during a traffic stop unrelated to drugs. While being handcuffed, Garrett admitted to possessing a “sizeable amount” of fentanyl. Authorities seized 6.7 grams of fentanyl from his pocket.
Officials noted that Garrett had a prior criminal conviction six years before the 2023 arrest. Because fentanyl trafficking is considered a violent crime under South Carolina law, Garrett’s conviction counts as a strike under the state’s Three Strikes law, requiring him to serve 85% of his 12-year sentence before being eligible for supervised release.
