The final defendant in a sweeping York County drug conspiracy has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after authorities dismantled a clandestine counterfeit pill operation capable of churning out tens of thousands of lethal fentanyl-laced tablets in a single day.
Jarman Lamar White, 39, of Rock Hill, was sentenced Thursday for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl, alongside quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented in court, White was a key player in the Darryl Hemphill drug organization, a group responsible for producing and distributing counterfeit pills across the Rock Hill and Charlotte areas. The pills were designed to mimic generic 30mg Roxicodone (oxycodone) tablets but were secretly laced with fentanyl.
A Clandestine Pill Factory
Investigators revealed that White provided the organization with a critical operational hub: his girlfriend’s basement in Rock Hill. Under surveillance, White and other members were observed moving heavy industrial equipment into the residence to set up a makeshift drug factory.
In exchange for several thousand dollars and a cut of the narcotics, White allowed the group to store and operate multiple pill-press machines. The scale of the manufacturing was massive—on one occasion, the group produced an estimated 50,000 fentanyl-laced pills in a single day. Additionally, intercepted phone calls caught White actively acquiring cocaine and methamphetamine from other ring members.
The 2018 Raid and Continued Crimes
The basement operation was shut down in June 2018 when federal and local agents raided the home. Inside, authorities seized:
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Multiple pill-press machines
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An industrial mixing machine
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Chemical pill binders
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Masks and respirators
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A 9mm pistol located in White’s backpack
Remarkably, White’s illicit activities did not end after his initial apprehension. Even as other members of the Hemphill organization were being arrested, White continued to deal. Undercover agents from the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit successfully completed three separate controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from White, proving his ongoing commitment to the conspiracy.
Sentencing and Task Force Initiative
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis handed down a 180-month prison sentence, which will be followed by 10 years of court-ordered supervision. Because there is no parole in the federal system, White will be required to serve his time in full.
“This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership aimed at dismantling criminal cartels, gangs, and transnational organizations that fuel violence and instability.
The sprawling investigation was a joint effort led by the FBI’s Columbia Field Office, the DEA, ATF, the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon.
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