A teen girl died and SC man who pleaded guilty goes to prison, prosecutor says
A South Carolina man is going to prison after recently pleading guilty following the death of a 15-year-old girl, according to the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Fifteen-year-old Tara Sanderson died from a fentanyl overdose on Jan. 26, 2022, the solicitor’s office said in a news release.
On April 23, Brian Rose Jr. was sentenced to 20 years in a South Carolina Department of Corrections prison for distributing fentanyl to the minor victim, according to the release.
In addition to the drug charge, Rose also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor from a separate investigation, the solicitor’s office said. Further information about what led to that charge was not available, but Rose received a 10-year prison sentence that will run consecutively to his drug conviction, according to the release.
Rose, who has a prior conviction for narcotics possession, was sentenced to serve a total of 30 years behind bars, the solicitor’s office said.
Deadly overdose
At the time of Tara’s death, a then-23-year-old Rose bought what he believed to be heroin and then provided the drug to the teen who was an acquaintance of Rose, according to the release. The drug Rose purchased contained fentanyl and Tara quickly became symptomatic before losing consciousness, the solicitor’s office said.
A witness attempted to intervene and reported to law enforcement that Rose told her “don’t call the cops,” according to the release. Another person called 911 and reported that Tara was unconscious, the solicitor’s office said.
EMS arrived and attempted life-saving measures, but Tara was pronounced dead of a fentanyl overdose, according to the release.
“It is impossible to overstate the dangers of fentanyl within our community and the risks that this drug poses to young people,” 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard said in the release.
The aftermath
During the sentencing hearing, Tara’s father addressed the court.
“Tara was a beautiful girl who loved gymnastics and cheerleading, she always knew how to light up a room,” Donald Sanderson said, according to the release. “This man took the one thing in my life that meant the most to me. She was just a baby … no father should have to bury their child at the age of 15.”
Among other family, Tara is also survived by her mother, Kristy Waggle, and grandparents Kathy and David Nicholson — all of whom also addressed the court during sentencing, the solicitor’s office said.
Both Tara’s family and the solicitor’s office said that the teen’s death shows why a law is needed to criminalize any narcotics distribution that results in the death of another person, according to the release. The solicitor’s office said that fentanyl has proven to be highly lethal in extremely small quantities.
“There is a fentanyl-induced homicide bill currently pending at the State House and we hope the legislature will provide us with the tools we need to fight this war,” Hubbard said.
The case was investigated by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes led the prosecution for the solicitor’s office. Lexington attorney Benjamin Stitely was Rose’s lawyer, Lexington County court records show.
Rose has been taken to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence, according to the release.
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This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 9:50 AM.
