Man sentenced to 13 years in prison for drug trafficking in Lancaster and Union counties: DOJ

Rico Green (Lancaster Co. Sheriff's Office, March 2022)

LANCASTER COUNTY, South Carolina (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for drug trafficking in North and South Carolina, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Rico Green, 48, sold fentanyl to undercover agents in Lancaster County in January 2022. The sting operation revealed that Green was trafficking drugs in Lancaster, South Carolina, and Union, North Carolina, counties.

In March 2022, Green was arrested with a large quantity of fentanyl following a chase involving deputies, authorities say. After being released from prison, Green was caught trying to sell a gun to an undercover Waxhaw officer during a drug deal.

In March 2024, Green pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months, followed by 6 years of court supervision.

He has previous convictions for cocaine distribution, crack distribution and cocaine trafficking.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, Police Department Lancaster and the Union County, North Carolina Sheriff's Office all assisted in the investigation.