Several drug dealers in Lexington County sentenced to prison

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Three drug traffickers have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms following recent convictions in Lexington County General Sessions Court.

“The dangers of illegal narcotics like fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to pose a great risk to members of our community, especially young people who may not know that a counterfeit pill contains a lethal dose of fentanyl,” said Eleventh Circuit District Attorney Rick Hubbard. “We are grateful to drug enforcement agents for their efforts to rid Lexington County of these illegal substances.”

Jakob Regan Dator, age 21, pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking on July 23, 2024. Dator was sentenced to 20 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Under South Carolina law, fentanyl trafficking is a violent crime, meaning Dator is not eligible for parole.

In early 2023, the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) launched an investigation that revealed that Dator was trafficking fentanyl in the form of pressed pills.

After NET agents observed a controlled buy and conducted a traffic stop in Lexington County in late July 2023, Dator was found to be in possession of over five hundred multi-colored pills. Officials said subsequent testing confirmed the pills were fentanyl.

Christina Lindemuth, a 52-year-old woman from Gaston, was sentenced to methamphetamine trafficking after pleading guilty on July 26, 2024, according to law enforcement officials. Lindemuth was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

In June 2022, law enforcement authorities said they were alerted to drugs and paraphernalia found in a West Columbia hotel room after check-out.

Investigators said they found more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in the safe, as well as Lindemuth's South Carolina identification and bank transaction cards.

Release on probation is not an option for Lindemuth.

Bradford Scott Price, a 39-year-old West Columbia man, pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to the press release, Price was sentenced to 9 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Under South Carolina law, Price is not eligible for parole.

In November 2023, West Columbia police officers executed a search warrant on the apartment where Price was known to have been conducting drug transactions. According to authorities, officers discovered over 35 grams of methamphetamine and over 8 grams of fentanyl.

Dator, Lindemuth and Price were transported to the SC Department of Corrections to begin serving their sentences immediately.

Feel more informed, prepared and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our Email newsletterAnd Download our apps. Do you have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.

Copyright 2024 WIS. All rights reserved.