Jermel Voshawn James, 27, of Burton was sentenced to 12 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of trafficking crack cocaine and one count of unlawful possession of a handgun.

Judge G. Thomas Cooper Jr. handed down the sentence.

The drug charge was James' fifth cocaine-related conviction since 2001, according to Beaufort County court records. He also spent five years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted armed robbery in 2001, according to Daniel Brownstein, spokesman for the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

The handgun and 15 grams of crack cocaine were found in James' glove box Oct. 13. Beaufort County Sheriff's deputies pulled James over for a traffic violation, but searched his car after he tried to run away.