Michael Andrew Gary, 27, of Camden, South Carolina, stood before a federal judge and admitted to possessing two firearms while barred by law due to prior felony convictions. Gary pleaded guilty to two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g), in a Columbia courtroom presided over by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr.
The first offense unfolded on January 17, 2017, when Camden Police Department officers pulled over Gary for a routine traffic violation. What started as a simple stop turned criminal when officers discovered Gary was driving under suspension. A search of the vehicle revealed a .32 caliber Colt pistol. Gary didn’t hesitate—he admitted the gun was his. At the time, he was legally prohibited from owning any firearm due to previous felony convictions.
Just six months later, on June 16, 2017, Gary was back in the crosshairs of law enforcement. Officers with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department encountered him sitting in a vehicle at a local hotel parking lot. A strong odor of marijuana tipped them off, prompting a search. Inside the trunk, they found a Taurus 9 mm pistol. Once again, Gary confessed—the weapon was his. Another illegal firearm, another federal charge stacking against him.
Now facing the full weight of federal prosecution, Gary could spend up to 10 years behind bars on each count, plus a $250,000 fine and as many as 3 years of supervised release. Sentencing will be determined after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence report, giving Judge Anderson a clearer picture of Gary’s criminal past and the risks he poses.
The case was aggressively pursued under South Carolina’s Project CeaseFire, a joint federal, state, and local initiative targeting illegal gun possession. Spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in collaboration with the Camden Police Department and Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, the program aims to dismantle cycles of gun violence through swift, high-impact prosecutions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy C. Wicker of the Columbia office led the prosecution. The initiative operates as part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), revived in October 2017 under then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who prioritized reducing violent crime nationwide. For Gary, the message is clear: in the eyes of federal law, felons caught with guns don’t get second chances.
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Related Federal Cases
- Jamal Antwan Lewis Gets 262 Months for Firearm Possession · South Carolina
- Fred Deshawn Edwards: Felon Caught with Firearm in Spartanburg · South Carolina
- Greenville Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · South Carolina
- Neko Andre Tisdale Gets 10 Years for Felon Firearm Possession · South Carolina
- Jeffrey Sells, Jerod Kernen Sentenced on Firearm Charges · South Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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