(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Seneca man, who was charged by Investigators from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office with Involuntary Manslaughter in a drug overdose investigation, pled guilty in court yesterday and received the maximum sentence of five years in prison.
In a news release that was issued on November 14th, the Sheriff’s Office announced that 48 year old Stephen Maxwell Bruce, of Peachtree Lane, was charged by the Sheriff’s Office in an overdose death which occurred on September 13th of this year. On that evening, Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau responded to an address on Landon Drive near Seneca in regards to two persons who overdosed. One person, an adult male, was revived after receiving medical treatment and one person, an adult female, died at the scene after life saving measures were unsuccessful.
After arriving on scene to begin an investigation, the Deputies discovered narcotics inside a room of the residence. An Investigator from the Criminal Investigations Bureau responded to the scene as well a Narcotics Agent from the Sheriff’s Office. The narcotics discovered at the scene were sent off for lab testing.
Based upon evidence obtained during the investigation, the Investigator and Narcotics Agents determined that Bruce had sold the female victim fentanyl that caused her death.
The Oconee County Coroner’s Office announced back on November 14th the name of deceased as 58 year old Karen Louise Wallace.
Bruce was arrested in a separate investigation by the Sheriff’s Office on November 13th in relation to a traffic stop on Friendship Road at Friendship Valley Road. In that traffic stop, Bruce was charged with one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Driving under Suspension.
“I am extremely proud of our Investigators and Narcotics Agents who worked hard on this case in order to obtain the Involuntary Manslaughter charge against Bruce in this investigation,” says Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. “The Sheriff’s Office has worked for quite some time to not only stop the trafficking and distribution of narcotics in our County but to hold those accountable who sell narcotics that causes someone’s death.”
“We are continuing to work with our Legislative Delegation in regards to the passing of legislation to provide further accountability for those who cause the death of others through the selling of this dangerous poison,” continues Sheriff Crenshaw. “We are pleased that Bruce pled guilty to the maximum sentence yesterday as he took responsibility for his part in the death of Karen Louse Wallace.”
“The 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office is grateful for the efforts of the Oconee County Sheriff's Office in the investigation of the death of Karen Wallace, and for the opportunity to partner with them in brining Steven Bruce to justice,” says Jason Alderman, Deputy Solicitor with the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. “We hope this maximum sentence will serve as a warning to those individuals who would distribute fentanyl and other illegal narcotics in our community, that we will use all of our efforts and resources to prosecute them with the full weight of the law.”
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