Man once suspected in Drexel disappearance to receive no additional prison time on separate charge

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A McClellanville man once named a suspect in the disappearance of Brittanee Drexel will receive no additional prison time on a separate robbery charge.

A judge sentenced Timothy Taylor to time served in federal court Monday morning for his role in a 2011 holdup of a Mount Pleasant fast food restaurant.

Taylor was accused of being the getaway driver in the robbery.

Judge David Norton noted that the only blemish on Taylor’s criminal record is a traffic ticket.

Norton also said Taylor spent 319 days in jail awaiting his trial on the federal armed robbery charge.

Federal authorities pursued charges against Taylor, hoping he would talk about Drexel’s disappearance. But Taylor maintained he was not involved in Drexel’s presumed murder. Drexel was 17 years old when she disappeared while walking outside a hotel in Myrtle Beach during spring break in April 2009.

After court on Monday, Taylor’s attorney insisted he had nothing to do with Drexel’s disappearance and now presumed murder.

“There’s been whispers from government agents about that but never a single written accusation that we can respond to," Chris Adams said.

His attorney said Taylor had to plead guilty to the robbery charge because he already admitted guilt in state court and was given probation.

I’ve been in this courthouse a lot and I’ve never seen supporters of the defendant stand and give a standing ovation to the judge when there’s been a sentence imposed," Adams said.

was asked what he was thinking about walking into court.

“To pray and to still pray it up and have faith in God,” he said after court.

He also said he will tell his two kids that he has learned his lesson.

Taylor faced up to ten years in prison.