Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Emmanuel Lamar Bellamy, age 28, of Loris, was sentenced in Florence to 108 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release. On April 18, 2017, Bellamy entered a guilty plea in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base and oxycodone. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell imposed the sentence.
The evidence presented at the change of plea hearing and sentencing hearing established that members of ATF and the Horry County Police Department were investigating illegal drug activity in the Loris, South Carolina area. As part of that investigation, agents made two controlled buys of cocaine base from Bellamy in October and November 2015.
On September 7, 2016, agents were investigating information that Bellamy and others were using a hotel in Loris for illegal drug activity. Agents set up surveillance on the hotel and observed Bellamy entering and leaving the hotel. Agents stopped Bellamy as he drove away from the hotel. After the initial stop, Bellamy fled the scene in his vehicle and led agents on a brief chase before his vehicle struck another vehicle ending the pursuit. At that point, a passenger in Bellamy’s vehicle jumped out of vehicle and fled the scene but was apprehended. Bellamy and the passenger were arrested. Officers searched Bellamy and found over $3,000 in cash on him. Police also searched the vehicle and found marijuana and oxycodone pills. A firearm and drugs were also found near where the passenger was apprehended. Agents also found Bellamy in possession of a room key to the hotel. Agents obtained a search warrant for the hotel room and located nearly 800 grams of cocaine, 78 grams of cocaine base, $80,000 in cash, two handguns and more oxycodone pills.
The case was investigated by agents with ATF and the Horry County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Taylor of the Florence office prosecuted the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
