LAURENS, S.C. (WSPA) – A Gray Court man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to drug charges in two Upstate counties.
According to the Laurens County officials, James Victor Capuano, 51, pleaded guilty on Friday to two counts of trafficking methamphetamine after changing his plea from “not guilty” ahead of his November trial date.
He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Reports state that in August 2021, Greenville County officers initiated a traffic stop on Capuano and found 300 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle.
In December 2021, the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a random package inspections at the Greenville FedEx facility. During the search, officers identified a package addressed to Capuano contained more than four pounds of methamphetamine.
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the home in Gray Court.
Capuano was seen driving and taken into custody after a brief chase.
A search of his home turned up more methamphetamine in addition to evidence of receipts, processing and distribution of large amounts from that location, according to reports.
Reports state Capuano admitted to deputies that he regularly received packages of methamphetamine in the mail before repackaging at his Gray Court home for distribution throughout the Upstate.
Due to the nature of the charges, state law requires the 51-year-old serves a minimum 85 percent of the sentence. He will not be considered for parole.
