Kayla Martin, a 34-year-old resident of Cayce, has been sentenced to over ten years in federal prison following her guilty plea to drug trafficking charges. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis.
The case against Martin involved an incident from April 2022 when she and Michael Tart were apprehended by law enforcement. Investigators from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department seized more than a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle driven by Tart on I-77 North in Richland County. It was revealed that Martin had arranged for Tart to collect the methamphetamine from her home. A search of Martin's residence led to the discovery of a .380 pistol, drug residue, and other paraphernalia.
At the time of this incident, Martin was already on supervised release due to a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her involvement in the April 2022 event constituted a violation of this release. In addition, Martin faces further charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office related to another drug incident in 2020. Tart has also pleaded guilty concerning his role in the case and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Judge Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine. This will be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision as there is no parole available in the federal system.
This prosecution forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between various levels of law enforcement and community members. The program focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that work towards violence prevention, establishing strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation into this case was conducted by multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Department of Homeland Security; Lexington County Sheriff’s Department; Richland County Sheriff’s Department; Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office; and Rock Hill Police Department. The prosecution team comprises Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon.