Rock Hill man pleads guilty to bringing drugs from California to SC, Charlotte
The Rock Hill leader of a drug crew that brought illegal drugs to South Carolina and Charlotte from California has pleaded guilty, according to federal prosecutors and court records.
Darryl Hemphill, 34, pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbia to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, meth and heroin. He was arrested in 2018, according to a federal plea agreement obtained by The Herald.
Hemphill faces a prison sentence of 23 years to life under the plea deal, court records and the plea agreement show. Hemphill will be sentenced at a later date. He also agreed to forfeit more than $42,000 in cash and two vehicles seized during the investigation, the plea agreement shows.
Hemphill admitted to conspiracy to distribute more than 11 combined pounds of cocaine and crack, heroin, meth and fentanyl, the plea agreement shows.
“Police learned that Hemphill was the leader of the group and helped introduce other members of the group to the California distributor,” federal prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice said in a written statement.
The case was investigated by the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, which is made up of police from all York County agencies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, ATF, and DEA worked with Columbia, Rock Hill and York County police, records show.
Hemphill has previous convictions for drugs and weapons violations in South Carolina state court in York County, records show.
Hemphill is one of several defendants in the case who has pleaded guilty after 18 people were charged in the federal drug case, according to prosecutors and court records. Cases against five defendants remain pending.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 8:32 AM.
