Police found heroin in a storage unit. Now three men face deportation.

Five people, including three undocumented immigrants, have been sentenced to prison for heroin trafficking and possession charges from a 2015 bust, 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson announced in a release Tuesday.

The charges stemmed from an Aug. 14, 2015 incident in Murrells Inlet where officers say they found a large amount of black tar heroin and powder heroin in a storage building after getting complaints of suspicious activity from neighbors.

Richard D. Todd Jr., the senior assistant solicitor, who prosecuted the 15th Circuit case, said each of the defendants pleaded guilty and were given the following sentences by Circuit Court Judge Steven H. John:

▪  Jesus Albert Rodriquez, 31, an undocumented immigrant, pleaded guilty Jan. 27 to first-offense trafficking in heroin, four to 14 grams, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison;

▪  Hector Omar Blanco Nieblas, 37, an undocumented immigrant, pleaded guilty Jan. 27 to first offense trafficking in heroin, four to 14 grams, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison;

▪  Matthew Negri, 43, of Murrells Inlet, pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to first-offense trafficking in heroin, four to 14 grams, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison;

▪  Amanda Shirback, 26, of Myrtle Beach, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession of heroin and was sentenced to four days time-served;

▪  Enrique Robles Gallegos, 27, an undocumented immigrant, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession with intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Because these trafficking offenses are considered violent and serious under South Carolina law, Negri, Nieblas and Rodriquez must serve at least 85 percent of their sentences before being eligible for parole, Todd said.

Rodriguez, Nieblas and Gallegos will be held for deportation once their sentences are complete, Todd added.

Law enforcement officers went to 3573 Jordan Landing Road after several neighbors complained of suspicious and unusual activity going on at the residence, the prosecutor said. The officers found that Negri, who owned the home, was renting rooms and an on-site storage building to Rodriguez, Nieblas and Gallegos, according to court records.

While conducting the investigation, an officer saw Negri drop something and found that he had dropped 10 balloons that contained black tar heroin, Todd said.

After a search of the property, officers said they found a large amount of black tar heroin and powder heroin inside a storage building next to the residence, as well as heroin in Shirback’s vehicle.

This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 11:36 PM with the headline "Police found heroin in a storage unit. Now three men face deportation.."