Federal judge sentences SC man to prison on drug, dog fighting charges
A 38-year-old Sumter-area man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty last week to charges involving drugs and dog fighting.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Harold Coleman was sentenced March 21 by U.S. Judge Terry Wooten in a hearing at the downtown Columbia federal courthouse.
Coleman was one of 18 people indicted in 2019 on federal drug trafficking charges involving cocaine, heroin and other drugs. He is among the last to be sentenced.
In addition to pleading guilty to drug charges involving a conspiracy to traffic in heroin and cocaine, Coleman also pleaded guilty to a federal animal welfare violation involving the buying, owning, training and transporting dogs for use in dog fighting, according to federal court documents.
Federal agents also seized pistols, shotguns and assault-type rifles in arresting the suspects, according to court documents.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
This story was originally published March 24, 2023 at 2:49 PM.