Kayla Martin, a 34-year-old resident of Cayce, South Carolina, has been sentenced to over ten years in federal prison following her guilty plea to drug trafficking charges. Her sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis.
The court heard evidence that led to the arrest of Martin and Michael Tart in April 2022. Investigators from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department seized more than a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle driven by Tart on I-77 North in Richland County. It was revealed that Martin had arranged for Tart to collect the methamphetamine from her home. A search of Martin's residence also uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and paraphernalia.
At the time of this incident, Martin was already on supervised release due to a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her actions in April 2022 constituted a violation of this supervised release. Additionally, she faces separate charges related to another drug-related incident in 2020 with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Tart has admitted guilt regarding his involvement and is awaiting sentencing.
Judge Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months for conspiracy related to possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. This will be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision as there is no parole option available in the federal system.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, focusing on strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Department of Homeland Security; Lexington County Sheriff’s Department; Richland County Sheriff’s Department; Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office; and Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are leading the prosecution.
