Willie Roy Goodwin pleaded guilty in 2009 to five counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, plus failing to stop for a police vehicle, in Richland County, The American Prospect reported in 2022. Sales to an undercover officer totaled about 8.73 ounces.
As a third marijuana offense it carried a five-year mandatory minimum with no parole. The sentence was 12 years and he had to serve at least 85 percent. A reconsideration motion and appeal basis from the public defender were denied. He was released in 2016 and now runs a handyman business near Columbia.
Why it matters: About half a pound of sales over five transactions led to 12 years because of two prior marijuana offenses.
Source: The American Prospect, 2022-02-17. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.