Georgia man headed to prison after hiding meth under car seat

A Georgia man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after a jury convicted him of trafficking 400 grams or more of methamphetamine.

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A South Carolina judge handed down the sentence against 41-year-old Angelo Xzavier Allen following a trial on Oct. 8.

Under South Carolina law, drug trafficking is classified as a violent and serious offense carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

The case began on March 12, 2025, when law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Allen’s vehicle along Interstate 20 in Lexington County while he was traveling from Augusta to Lexington.

According to the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Allen gave officers consent to search his vehicle, which was registered to him and had no other occupants. During the search, deputies discovered 491 grams of methamphetamine hidden under the front passenger seat.

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At trial, prosecutors presented testimony showing Allen was traveling to Lexington County to complete a drug transaction.

Assistant Solicitor Player Long highlighted the law enforcement partnership following the verdict.

“This conviction underscores our office’s commitment to working alongside law enforcement in protecting our community from the serious harms associated with the distribution of dangerous controlled substances,” Long said.

Allen has a prior criminal record in Georgia that includes convictions for drug offenses, weapons charges and aggravated assault. He was on probation for the aggravated assault conviction at the time of the Lexington County traffic stop.

Allen has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his 25-year sentence.

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