Myrtle beach man gets 10 years for meth and fentanyl distribution after arrests in two separate busts — judge with gavel, stock photo.

Meth and fentanyl convictions earn South Carolina man 10-year sentence

CONWAY, SC — A 33-year-old Myrtle Beach man was sentenced Wednesday to a decade in state prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug distribution charges connected to two separate arrests involving methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Daniel Vargas entered a guilty plea in Horry County Circuit Court to second-offense possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and first-offense possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. His trial had been scheduled to begin next week.

Circuit Court Judge David P. Caraker sentenced Vargas to 10 years on each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. The methamphetamine charge, classified as a serious offense in South Carolina, will count as a “strike” under the state’s three-strike law targeting repeat offenders.

Vargas was first arrested on December 24 after officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department attempted a traffic stop that led to a brief pursuit. Following the stop, he was charged with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Photo: myrtle beach man gets 10 years for meth and fentanyl distribution after arrests in two separate busts

He was later arrested again on May 8 following an investigation led by the Horry County Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice unit. Detectives executed a search warrant at Vargas’ residence, where they found more than 400 grams of methamphetamine.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor David Beamer of the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Law enforcement officers involved in both incidents were recognized for their role in disrupting ongoing narcotics distribution in the Myrtle Beach area.

Vargas will serve his sentence in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and will receive credit for time already served.

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Key Points

Daniel Vargas, 33, of Myrtle Beach, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug distribution charges
Two arrests led to the charges: one involving fentanyl after a car chase in December and another involving 400 grams of meth in May
The meth charge qualifies as a “strike” under South Carolina’s repeat offender law

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Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

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Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

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