PRESS RELEASE
April 28, 2016
FCSO MAKES ARREST IN EARLY MORNING HEROIN BUST
SUBJECT: Mack Laron Singletary, age 27, of 250 Rosewood Drive, Johnsonville, SC was arrested by Narcotics Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office on April 28, 2016 and charged with Distribution of Heroin, Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Marijuana. See FCSO Booking Website for additional information.
NARRATIVE: In the early morning hour of April 28, 2016, Specially Trained Narcotics Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the FCSO SWAT Team executed a lawful search warrant at 250 Rosewood Drive, Johnsonville, SC in connection with a three month investigation into the distribution of heroin in the Johnsonville area. Mack Laron Singletary, the target of the investigation was the sole occupant of the house at the time the warrant was executed and was found to possess bindles of heroin and a small amount of marijuana. Singletary was arrested, handcuffed and transported to the Florence County Detention Center in a marked FCSO patrol vehicle. While just outside the Detention Center, Singletary managed to open the door to the vehicle and flee on foot into a wooded area nearby. The transporting deputy attempted to chase Singletary on foot, but was not able to catch him. The deputy was later treated for exhaustion at an area hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Following the escape, deputies immediately set up a perimeter around the wooded area, and the FCSO Tracking Team was deployed to the scene. FCSO Raptor 1 and SLED helicopters provided operational oversight during the intensive manhunt. At approximately 1:30 PM Singletary was located within the perimeter and taken into custody without further incident and without injury. Singletary remains at the Florence County Detention Center and will likely appear before a Florence County Magistrate for consideration of bond tomorrow.
Incidents of escape are extremely rare, but we nevertheless train for such an event routinely. To protect the public a siren designed to be heard within a 5 mile radius of the Detention Center sounds several times per hour to alert nearby residents of an escape and a Reverse 911 call system alerts residents by telephone within a defined radius with an automated voice message. FCSO also notifies the Florence School District of any escape or manhunt in the area and the situation is continually monitored for any threat to a nearby school.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing. FCSO wishes to thank SLED, DNR and the City of Florence Police Department for its support and assistance, as well as the Effingham Grill and Grocery for providing cold drinks to deputies involved in the manhunt.
END
Major Michael M. Nunn
General Counsel/P.I.O.
