OC Man arrested on Drug and Sex Offender Registry Charges

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested an Oconee County man with listed addresses in Walhalla and West Union over the weekend on one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, third or subsequent offense and a sex offender registry violation, second offense. Booked into the Oconee County Detention Center on Sunday was 32-year-old Randal Joseph Emery. He also had an outstanding warrant from the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons. On Saturday evening, a deputy spotted Emery driving a black moped on Highway 123 in Seneca and after checking with dispatch, it was confirmed that Emery had outstanding arrest warrants. The deputy initiated a traffic stop with Emery on East North First Street in Seneca. After placing Emery under arrest, the deputy observed a quantity on narcotics in plain view on the moped. Emery was transported to the Oconee County Detention Center. Deputies obtained an arrest warrant against Emery based on the narcotics recovered at the scene. Deputies also served the other outstanding arrest warrants against Emery, which included the sex offender registry warrant as Emery failed to register at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in March of this year as a requirement of his sentence that placed him on the registry. Emery remains in custody at the Oconee County Detention Center as he was denied bond on the drug charge and was given a combined $50,000 surety bond on the other charges.