4 charged, including former Rock Hill teacher, in York County drug raids
Four people, including a former Rock Hill middle school teacher, were charged with drug trafficking and other violations Wednesday after raids of two homes in York County, according to officials and police records.
Those arrested and charged are: Harold G. White III, 30; Julisa G. White, 30; Yolanda H. Adams, 49; and Rodney F. Smith, 49, according to police and jail records.
The Rock Hill Police Department violent crimes team and agents with the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit raided homes on Castle Street and Amanda Lane Wednesday, said B.J Kennedy, commander of the drug unit.
Police served search warrants on both houses after an ongoing drug investigation, Kennedy said.
Officers seized 162 grams of heroin, 18 grams of fentanyl, 17 grams of crack cocaine, three grams of powder cocaine, six grams of Ecstasy, 39 grams of marijuana, 116 illegal dose units of alprazolam -- a panic disorder medicine -- and three handguns, Kennedy said.
Five children were present at the homes, Kennedy said. The children were placed in the custody of relatives, Kennedy said.
Harold White III faces charges, including trafficking heroin and crack, possession of fentanyl, Ecstasy, heroin and marijuana with intent to distribute, distribution of drugs near a park or school, unlawful conduct toward a child, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, records show.
White has a previous conviction for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute from 2015, York County court records show.
Police and jail records show Julisa White is charged with felonies, including trafficking crack cocaine, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of Ecstasy, alprazolam, and cocaine with intent to distribute, unlawful neglect toward a child, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Julisa White was a teacher at Saluda Trail Middle School in the Rock Hill school district until her arrest in 2018, records show. She had her teaching license suspended by South Carolina education department officials in 2018 following her arrest on charges of felony child neglect, state records show.
Drug unit incident reports show Yolanda Adams faces charges, including trafficking heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana, distribution of drugs near a school or park, and unlawful neglect toward a child.
Rodney Smith is charged with trafficking heroin, possession of fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute, and distribution of drugs near a park or school, records show.
A conviction for heroin trafficking of more than 28 grams in South Carolina carries a mandatory 25 years in prison, state law shows. All the other charges are felonies that carry sentences of at least five years for convictions.
Past charges still pending
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Harold White III, Julisa White and Yolanda Adams were free on bail pending trial at the time of Wednesday’s arrest.
They had been arrested and charged in 2018 after a child of Julisa White and Harold White died, allegedly due to exposure to fentanyl, while in the care of Yolanda Adams, records show. Harold White also faces felony drug charges from the 2018 incident after marijuana, cocaine and opioids were found, records show.
Three of the four suspects remain at the York County jail, records show. Julisa White was released from custody after posting a $70,000 bond for the eight charges from Wednesday’s arrest, according to York County online court records and jail officials.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 9:09 AM with the headline "4 charged, including former Rock Hill teacher, in York County drug raids."
