Daniel Mac Wentz, a 46-year-old resident of Blacksburg, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentencing took place in Spartanburg, following evidence that on April 19, 2024, Wentz was stopped by Spartanburg County Sheriff’s deputies and found with 88 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm pistol in his vehicle.
Authorities connected Wentz to a larger drug trafficking operation in the Upstate region. His criminal record includes previous convictions for drug distribution, indecent exposure, assault and battery of an aggravated nature, assault with intent to kill, and several firearms charges.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins imposed a sentence of 120 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.
“This career criminal was part of a larger drug trafficking ring responsible for bringing substantial quantities of illegal drugs into the Upstate,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Getting these drugs off of our streets and holding offenders like this accountable makes our communities safer.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from the dangers of drug trafficking and armed criminals,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who also oversees North and South Carolina. “Daniel Wentz’s extensive criminal history and his role in methamphetamine distribution posed a significant threat to public safety. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle criminal networks and hold offenders accountable.”
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies at the federal, state, and local levels to target major drug traffickers and related organizations. More details about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Multiple agencies contributed to the investigation including Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office; Greenville County Sheriff’s Office; Greenville Police Department; Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit; South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General; and Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen prosecuted the case.
