On Dec. 23, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced a 21-year sentence for a Chapin man convicted for trafficking methamphetamines.

Per a release from the solicitor’s office, Joseph Wade Bernier, 42, received the sentence after pleading guilty in Lexington County for trafficking 10 to 28 grams of methamphetamine (second offense), possession of a weapon during a violent crime, assault and battery in the first degree and pointing and presenting a firearm

Circuit Court Judge Debra McCaslin imposed 18 years for the methamphetamine charge. Because Bernier was on probation at the time he was caught trafficking the drugs, his probation was revoked, resulting in an additional sentence of three consecutive years. Under state law, he is not eligible for parole, the release states.

Bernier’s sentence comes after two incidents within two weeks during the summer of 2021.

On July 13, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to an individual inside a vehicle outside a home. The officers found Bernier, who “was combative with both law enforcement and EMS on scene, and illegal narcotics were seen in plain view of Bernier’s vehicle,” the solicitor’s office’s release says.

“An assault rifle was also seen in the dash of the vehicle at the time of law enforcement’s arrival. The Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) responded with a search warrant for the vehicle. During the search, NET agents found 3 bags of methamphetamine, weighing over 124 grams, over 100 pills, $6,510.00 in cash, a handgun, and several ledgers documenting drug transactions between Bernier and other individuals.”

Then, on July 26, Bernier approached three individuals walking down a road in Gilbert.

“When the victims informed Bernier they did not know who he was asking for, Bernier became irate, grabbed an assault rifle, pointed it at all three victims, fired one round in their direction, and fled the scene,” the release states. The Major Crimes Unit (MCU) with the Sheriff’s Department took over the investigation and were able to identify Bernier as the subject.”

After a search warrant was issued for Bernier’s vehicle and home, illegal narcotics were found once again, along with “a .357 revolver with an obliterated serial number; more than 20 grams of methamphetamine; more than 2 grams of heroin; digital scales; multiple rounds of ammunition in varying calibers; and marijuana.”

“NET determined that he had connections to a cartel in Mexico,” the release reads. “Bernier admitted he began running kilograms worth of narcotics and firearms between Atlanta, Lexington, and Greenville for the cartel in early January 2021. Bernier further admitted that portions of narcotics from the cartel were brought back to Lexington County to sell.”

“Law enforcement in Lexington County will not tolerate individuals trafficking large quantities of dangerous narcotics in our community,” 11th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Kelly Oppenheimer is quoted about the sentence. “Authorities will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases until the drug pandemic in our county takes a significant turn.”