South Carolina – A resident of Orangeburg has been sentenced to a federal prison term for orchestrating a scheme to smuggle marijuana via mail, in collaboration with a postal worker, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
At the age of 37, Lemont Antwaun Darby has been handed down a sentence exceeding three years in prison after admitting to charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
The court received evidence indicating that Darby was a frequent recipient of marijuana shipments sent through the U.S. Mail from California, among other locations, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s findings.
Mjaan Roland, a 31-year-old from Chapin and employed as a city carrier at both the Columbia Main Post Office and Dutch Fork Station, became entangled in this operation. In March 2022, Darby approached Roland for help to ensure these marijuana shipments reached him, utilizing an address within Roland’s delivery jurisdiction.
In exchange for Roland’s assistance with certain deliveries, Darby paid him between $100 and $200, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Darby also provided Roland with small quantities of narcotics on some occasions.
U.S. District Judge Sherri A. Lydon imposed a 46-month prison term on Darby, which will be followed by two years of supervised release. The federal judicial system does not offer parole.
Roland, who was also charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to distribute marijuana has entered a guilty plea and is currently awaiting his sentencing.
The investigation leading to these sentences was carried out by several agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the State Law Enforcement Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston D. Holliday Jr. leading the prosecution.
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