My question involves criminal law for the state of: South Carolina
My friend has a drug problem unfortunately and just middle mans some pills to support his habit. Said he was texting a friend all day about getting up to sell him a subutex (suboxone). His friend gets arrested after he meets up with 'his dealer' which was a cop posing as someone else texting him on a cell phone.. So he still thought he was texting his friend, he gets a text that says meet here or there at this time. He goes, 3 narc agents pop out of a truck and arrest him, he had half a bar, one subutex, and 3/4 quarter sub strip. He was shocked to find out his friend set him up, come to find he didnt and he was sitting in jail and the cop was texting him for the last 30 minutes setting up the meet to buy a pill. They also took his cell phone which is nothing but drug filled text conversations and drug contacts.He got out the next day.
The narc told him he was just going to cite him for 'loitering for the purpose of drugs', a minor offense. But if he didnt get up with this cop to roll on someone else, he said he will void the minor loitering charge and issue 2 felony warrants for him, poss of controlled sub and conspiracry or just plain old distribution of cont substances. They told him he could get 20 years in prison, which i highly doubt. I figured probation at worst. Unfortunately he doesnt have money for a lawyer and I dont know if he should trust a public defendent.
Im starting to think he may have gotten off good by leading those cops on to thinking he will help them, and since his ticket and PR bond paperwork from the judge at the jail states his charge has 'Loitering for purpose of drugs' I cannot see how they could just change this and slap on a felony and possession charge. I could be wrong, anyone have advice for this situation?

