Greer Man Receives 12.5 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Gerald Larson II, 52, of Greer, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on May 15, 2026.

The sentence equates to 12 years and seven months. Larson must also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. The U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina imposed the penalty after Larson pleaded guilty to the charge.

Federal prosecutors presented evidence that Larson possessed quantities of cocaine packaged for distribution. The exact volume of cocaine involved was not detailed in the sentencing release. Under federal law, possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a statutory range that includes the term Larson received.

The sentence shifts Larson from pretrial status to immediate incarceration. The Bureau of Prisons must now designate a facility and arrange his transport. Supervised release conditions will begin only after he completes the full 151-month term. Any violation of those conditions can result in additional prison time without a new trial.

Downstream, the conviction requires the U.S. Probation Office to prepare a post-release supervision plan that includes drug testing and reporting requirements. The case also feeds into the Department of Justice’s ongoing enforcement statistics for narcotics trafficking in the District of South Carolina.

Sentencing data from this case will be reported to the U.S. Sentencing Commission for compilation in the next annual report on federal drug offenses.

This marks the latest federal cocaine trafficking sentence issued in South Carolina federal court this year. The Department of Justice has pursued similar cases under 21 U.S.C. § 841, the statute governing manufacture and distribution of controlled substances. The Greer case follows a pattern of prosecutions targeting mid-level distributors in the Upstate region.