Chester man had 1,782 pills that contained 122 grams fentanyl. He heads to prison
A Chester felon who had more than 1,700 fentanyl pills when arrested in December has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Steven Cortaze Nelson, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, 6th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Candice Lively said.
The fentanyl weighed 122 grams, Lively said.
Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control website. It has also been linked to overdoses and deaths, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Nelson had the drugs in his possession at a Chester motel when charged by Chester County Sheriff’s Office deputies who were investigating an assault, officials said.
Nelson was facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted at trial, under South Carolina law. Nelson agreed to a negotiated guilty plea and accepted responsibility, said his lawyer, Tom Hall.
“My client regrets what he did,” Hall said after court.
Nelson has previous drug convictions from 2014 and 2008, South Carolina court records show.
