(Anderson, SC). Yesterday in Anderson County General Sessions Court Larry Edward Adger, III, was sentenced by The Honorable Lawton McIntosh to 25 years in prison and a fine of $50,000 on charges of trafficking methamphetamine 3rd offense, with a weight between 28 and 100 grams, trafficking cocaine base (more commonly known as “crack cocaine”) 3rd offense, with a weight between 28 and 100 grams, and also of possession of a controlled substance, 2nd offense.
After a two-day trial, in June of 2018, Adger was convicted of the charges for which he was just sentenced. At that time, his sentence was deferred by Judge McIntosh following a request by Adger’s attorney for the opportunity to explore potential appealable issues prior to entry of the sentence.
The incident that lead to Mr. Adger’s arrest occurred on September 28, 2017. Members of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office observed a single occupancy vehicle driven by Adger speeding on Market St. in Anderson County. A traffic stop was initiated by law enforcement. Before pulling over, Adger sped up and threw a brightly colored lunch bag out the passenger side window of his vehicle. Deputies observed the lunch bag land in the roadway and quickly retrieved it. Inside the bag, they found 29.25 grams of cocaine base and 25.08 grams of Pentylone, which is a controlled substance commonly known as bath salts. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a canister on the passenger side floorboard containing 48.8 grams of methamphetamine pills which were in the shapes of Hello Kitty, Darth Vader, and Optimus Prime, along with over $10,000 in cash.
Both of the trafficking charges and the controlled substance charge were ordered by Judge McIntosh to be served concurrently. Adger will also be given credit for 485 days he has already served.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Solicitor Kristin Reeves of the Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and private attorney Charles Whiten represented the defendant.
Following the sentencing, Solicitor David Wagner made the following comment: “So many people in our community suffer or know someone who suffers from drug addiction. The drugs intercepted by law enforcement in this case could have eventually reached many individuals and affected and destroyed many lives. The methamphetamine pills shaped into cartoon forms present an extreme danger to children. It is horrific to imagine what could have happened if an innocent child had found these pills, as they could easily have been mistaken for candy. I am very pleased with the strong sentence handed down by the Court this week, and hope it acts as a deterrent to those who would try to poison our community and expose our children to illegal narcotics and opioids.”