A nearly yearlong drug investigation culminated on January 30, when law enforcement officers from the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, and State Law Enforcement Division served a search warrant on South Carolina Highway 219 just outside the City of Newberry.

Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said that an undercover operative purchased illegal drugs from the residence and based on that information a search warrant was obtained from the residence.

Once inside the residence, the officers located large amounts of cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy. The officers located a firearm inside the residence. The officers located approximately 15 grams of cocaine, approximately 9 grams of heroin, and 30 pills of ecstasy. It is also believed that some of these drugs were laced with fentanyl, but it will take laboratory tests to confirm this.

“There is a direct link between the drugs and firearms in our community and the violence that has plagued us of late,” said Sheriff Foster. “We are in the community working hard and, in some cases, actually going door to door seeking information to take these violent offenders, drugs, and weapons off the street.”

Charged were Kendrick Tremain Blackwell, 28, of 6655 SC Highway 219, Newberry, SC. Blackwell was charged with 3 counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Trafficking Cocaine, Trafficking Heroin, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Ecstasy. He was also charged with Possession of a Firearm During a Violent Crime because Trafficking illegal drugs in South Carolina considered a violent crime. Also charged was Iyeshia Lashawn Sims, 29, of 1935 Drayton Street, Newberry, SC. She was charged with Trafficking Cocaine and Trafficking Heroin.

Sheriff Foster encouraged anyone with any information about violent crime, drugs, or any criminal activity to contact the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 321-2222 or contact Crimestoppers at 888-CRIMESC or you can use the Crimestoppers app.