A Georgetown County man was convicted by a jury Thursday on drug charges and for faking his own death.
Julius "Butch" Nesbitt sold about 1,000 oxycodone pills in nine months in 2007. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Phillips says Nesbitt bought drugs from people who had legitimate prescriptions and sold them for $20 to $30 profit. He was caught when an informant bought drugs from him.
Phillips says when state charges were brought against Nesbitt, he planned to fake his own death. He says Nesbitt put his property in the name of someone in his family and backdated the transaction. He says that's also when Phillips bought a boat.
Then on November 24, 2007, Nesbitt brought the boat into Winyah Bay, left his wallet in the boat and left town. His girlfriend reported him missing the next day.
The Coast Guard spend two days looking for Nesbitt, "all while he was hauling tail to Indiana," said Phillips.
The following Monday, Nesbitt was supposed to be in court for drug charges so deputies thought the case was suspicious. They kept the case open and U.S. Marshals tracked Nesbitt down six weeks later in Indiana.
Phillips says only a few people knew about Nesbitt's plans. Even his own mother thought he was dead.
Nesbitt was found in Terre Haute, using his best friend's name and living on counterfeit money. His girlfriend had joined him there and brought newspaper clippings of his disappearance. Police found the clippings on his bed when they arrested him.
Nesbitt was convicted on three drug charges including conspiracy with intent to distribute oxycodone and one count of causing the Coast Guard to search when no help is needed.
Nesbitt faces up to 20 years in prison.
