Jury convicts SC man who advertised selling drugs on social media, prosecutor says

A South Carolina man who used social media to sell drugs and led Richland County sheriff’s deputies on a car chase was convicted on multiple charges Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’ Office said.

A federal jury found 29-year-old Columbia resident Booker Henley guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, the U.S. Attorney’ Office said Thursday in a news release.

The conviction stems from a March 10, 2023, incident, when a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department tried to pull over Henley’s vehicle in the northeast area of Columbia near the intersection of Farrow Road and Hardscrabble Road, according to the release.

Henley drove away and escaped from the deputy, but crashed his vehicle moments later near the 2700 block of Clemson Road, about 2 miles away from where the pursuit began, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

When the wrecked vehicle was discovered, Henley was not at the scene, according to the release. But the vehicle smelled of marijuana and during a search deputies found a loaded gun with an extended magazine, a bag containing 252 grams of marijuana and a bill of sale for a separate vehicle in Henley’s name, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Prior to the crash, ATF agents were investigating Henley and saw his social media accounts where he posted pictures of himself and advertised marijuana for sale, according to the release.

Following the wreck, ATF got surveillance footage from the area which showed Henley running from the vehicle wearing unique clothing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Prosecutors said Henley had previously posted pictures of himself wearing the same clothing on social media.

Law enforcement also received a search warrant for his social media account, which confirmed that he was using the online platform to advertise and sell drugs in the days before and after the crash, according to the release.

Social media messages revealed that he had completed a drug sale in Columbia approximately 45 minutes before the chase with law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Additionally, the social media messages showed that he communicated with someone four days after the crash, admitting to wrecking his “skat,” a term used to reference certain models of Dodge Chargers, according to the release.

Henley’s DNA also was found on both the gun and the extended magazine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Henley has prior convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm at a person, breaking into a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen pistol and failure to stop for blue lights, according to the release.

Henley faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He also faces a fine of up to $750,000, restitution,and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, according to the release.

Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided over the trial and will sentence Henley after reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

This story was originally published March 10, 2024 at 12:27 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription