Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- Orangeburg County Sheriff's Deputies say they arrested a Holly Hill man on narcotics charges while officers were investigating a burglary.
According to Sheriff Leroy Ravenell, officers went to a residence on Lipstick Lane Thursday to search for stolen items from a June 8th burglary on Santee Lumber Road in Santee. Ravenell said 25-year-old Richard "Munchie" James was at the home buying some of the stolen items.
Investigators say that the resident of the Lipstick Lane home told them that James had broken into the back door of the house when he saw the Sheriff's Office vehicles approaching.
Sheriff Ravenell says when officers started searching the home they located a book bag that contained a stolen .40 Glock Pistol loaded with a full magazine, 200 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, pill bottles containing 9.5 grams of crack cocaine, more than $1,300 cash, and paraphernalia used to sell narcotics. James told investigators that the book bag belonged to him.
After the bust at the Lipstick Lane residence, investigators say they went to James' address on Deedle Street in Holly Hill. Investigators recovered two stolen televisions from the suspect's home.
Deputies say Terrance Durant and Antonio Mood have been arrested in the June 8 burglary of the Santee Lumber Road residence.
James has been charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of a stolen firearm.
Ravenell says, ""Investigators are to be commended for following leads, pursuing the recovery of the stolen property and following the investigation to narcotics charges. Even though we have some expectations of what will happen when we are following leads, we always must be alert and prepared as to where the investigation may end."