Gas station robber sentenced

Ronheim Syron Dease, age 25, pled guilty this week for robbing the Simba Express convenience store located on Frink Street in the city of Cayce.

Circuit Court Judge William P. Keesley sentenced Dease to 12 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

Dease robbed the store at gunpoint. He and his accomplice stole an undisclosed amount of money.

Cayce Department of Public Safety attempted to initiate a traffic stop and a 25 mile pursuit followed that lasted approximately 27 minutes with the driver exceeding speeds of 90 miles per hour.

Officers recovered handguns, money, clothing items, and masks from the robbery during the search of the car.

The investigation was a joint effort by officers with Cayce Department of Public Safety and the Swansea Police Department. The officers’ quick response and teamwork resulted in the apprehension of 3 of the individuals.

The 4th person has not been identified.

Dease will be transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his prison sentence.

Meth dealer sentenced

Tony James Smith, age 28, was sentenced last week in Lexington County to 10 years for Distribution of Methamphetamine, 3rd Offense.

Smith was scheduled for trial last week in Lexington County General Sessions Court when he elected to plead guilty.

Evidence prepared for presentation at trial established that on March 28, 2018, agents with Lexington County’s Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Smith on Cottingham Court in Lexington.

Smith was transferred to the SC Department of Corrections to begin service of his sentence.

Sex-offender convicted again

A Lexington County man already serving time for a sex crime against a minor was sentenced last week to yet another sex crime against an under-aged victim.

Garey Emil Cason, Jr., 43, received the maximum sentence of 15 years by Circuit Court Judge William P. Keesley on a charge of 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

The victim, who was under the age of 16 at the time of the offense, reported the crime in 2016, according to prosecutors. The offense occurred during 2011.

Cason has been jailed in state prison since 2015, serving a 6-year sentence on an unrelated charge of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Upon his release, Ca-son will be required to register as a sex offender and be monitored by GPS tracking as a result of his latest conviction.

Man arrested in Gaston hit and run fatality

Lexington County deputies say one man is arrested for a fatal hit and run on US Highway 321 in Gaston Saturday.

Authorities say Royce Kopacz, Jr., 54, is charged with felony hit and run resulting in death and additional charges.

Kopacz is accused of hitting the victim’s vehicle from behind, causing it to overturn and the passenger, Jeff Coswell, to be ejected.

Coswell, 49, was the passenger in a southbound vehicle that left the roadway and overturned in the 4200 block of US 321 near Garners Terrace, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

Coswell, who was not wearing a seat belt when the collision occurred, was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.

The driver was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputies say Kopacz fled the scene but was caught later that night.

He is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.

Man arrested for smoking pot in front of children

Lexington County deputies arrested a man Wednesday after smelling marijuana coming from his trailer in a Charleston Highway mobile home park.

Datrell Alonzo Graham, 20, is charged with possession of a distribution amount of marijuana and unlawful neglect of a child, according to arrest warrants.

“After getting a search warrant for Graham’s home, investigators found more than 28 grams but fewer than 10 pounds of marijuana, along with scales, packaging materials and guns,” Lexington County Sheriff Jah Koon said.

“Because he was using drugs in front of 2 children and allowing them to be in a location where marijuana is stored and sold, deputies charged Graham with child neglect.”

Graham was arrested without incident at his home and transported to the Lexington County Detention Center, according to Koon.

Graham has been released from jail after posting bail.

Man charged for drug trafficking

Lexington County deputies have charged a man after tracing property reported as stolen back to his address, where they found drugs, guns and a commercial trailer with an altered vehicle identification number.

Michael Gerald Tart, 38, is charged with trafficking heroin, possession of less than a gram of cocaine, trafficking ice, possession of LSD, possession of anabolic steroids, operation of a chop shop, possession of body armor by a violent offender, possession of a stolen handgun, receiving stolen goods, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to arrest warrants.

“Deputies went to Tart’s home on McLee Road in Lexington in response to information they had gathered as part of a follow-up investigation related to stolen property,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Tart gave them consent to search his property after they explained why they were there.”

One of the deputies saw a U-Haul car hauler that was freshly painted green with marks on the trailer where the company typically places identification numbers, according to Koon.

“Investigators obtained a search warrant before searching Tart’s backyard,” Koon said. “During a search of Tart’s house, deputies found several firearms in plain view and illegal drugs inside a gun safe.”

Koon said Tart was arrested at the scene and transported to the Lexington County Detention Center.