Conway man pleads guilty to armed robbery, fentanyl trafficking

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A Conway man pleaded guilty to armed robbery and trafficking fentanyl before his trial was set to begin.

Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson announced that Taejohn Shaheem Johnson, 30, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and first-offense trafficking fentanyl, four to 14 grams.

Armed robbery charge

The armed robbery charge stems from an incident on Oct. 25, 2025, in Conway.

Reports say that the victim said he was visiting family when one of the suspects called him to a home on Fox Trail Pine.

After he was welcomed inside the home, the door was blocked, and he couldn’t leave, according to the victim.

Three suspects, including Johnson, each had guns pointed at the victim and demanded his belongings, according to documents.

The suspects took $3,000 cash, jewelry, car keys, and other items, then told him to leave the home.

Henry Gregg and Lathan Sarvis-Steele were previously charged with robbery and kidnapping in connection with the armed robbery. Charges are pending for both.

Drug trafficking charge

The drug charge stemmed from a traffic stop on Nov. 26, 2025, in the Myrtle Beach area.

South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers tried to stop a white Chrysler 300 driven by Johnson for failing to maintain lanes.

When troopers initiated blue lights, Johnson drove away at a high rate of speed before crashing into a light pole.

Johnson got out of the wrecked vehicle and tried to run away, but officers caught him.

During a search of the vehicle, officers found a pill bottle that contained a white powdery substance believed to be fentanyl.

While being booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center during a strip search, officers found a purple powdery substance believed to be fentanyl on Johnson.

The total weight of the fentanyl found in the car and on Johnson was 22.1 grams.

Sentencing

A judge sentenced Johnson to 12 years in prison for armed robbery and trafficking fentanyl. The sentences will run concurrently.

Johnson must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence and will have two strikes under South Carolina’s three-strikes law. If he is convicted of another serious charge, he could be sentenced to life without parole.

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