A Lexington County man was sentenced to 13 years on Oct. 28 for trafficking heroin mixed with fentanyl.

Gilbert Lewis, 33, of Gilbert pled guilty to the charges before Chief Administrative Judge Walton J. McLeod, IV in Lexington County. This case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor Kelly Oppenheimer of the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office Drug Prosecution Team.

A Facebook post from the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office recounts that on Sept. 8, 2020, as part of an investigation by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, a half ounce of heroin was purchased from Lewis. The street value for the heroin was approximately $1,400. Drug analysis revealed that the substance was 13.6 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl.

“We have seen tragic results associated with fentanyl ingestion across the state,” 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard is quoted in the post. “Our office is committed to prosecuting these cases aggressively and ridding our community of these dangerous narcotics.”

The post explains that trafficking heroin is classified as a violent and serious offense in South Carolina. Lewis has prior felony convictions in 2017 (second-degree burglary) and 2019 (attempted armed robbery).

“Fentanyl is a highly lethal substance that is sometimes mixed with various illegal narcotics,” the post states. “Law enforcement agencies have determined that fentanyl is frequently found in heroin and counterfeit pills sold by street dealers. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal.

“The illegal drug trade is especially dangerous because a user has no way of knowing whether the drugs purchased are laced with fentanyl. The number of opiate related fatalities in the State of South Carolina, including Lexington County and Richland County, have significantly increased over the last decade.”