Dealer sentenced in Kershaw County’s first overdose death conviction linked to drug distribution
April 1, 2026
On March 18, Ryan Clayton Bowers pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance. The Honorable Heath Taylor sentenced Bowers to 5 years in a South Carolina Department of Corrections facility.
Bowers’ plea agreement marks the first involuntary manslaughter conviction in Kershaw County under a death-by-distribution theory.
On Jan. 4, 2024, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive male at a Camden residence. Law enforcement found the victim, Phillip “PJ” Guinn, deceased from a narcotics overdose.
Investigators discovered a mini zip-lock bag with fentanyl near the victim. A text thread showed Guinn asking Bowers for Suboxone strips. Evidence indicated that when Bowers realized he did not have Suboxone strips, he provided Guinn fentanyl instead, attempting to replicate the effect despite the risk of overdose.
Unaware of fentanyl’s potency, Guinn overdosed and died.
In 2025, South Carolina added Section 16-3-80 – Fentanyl-Induced Homicide to the South Carolina Code, providing additional tools for narcotics officers and solicitors to pursue fentanyl-related homicides, hold responsible parties accountable, and seek justice for victims.
The Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case. Assistant Solicitor Michael Bradbury led the prosecution. The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit conducted a thorough investigation.