United States Attorney Beth Drake announced a severe penalty for Juran Maghi Witherspoon, 18, of Charlotte, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in the brazen pre-dawn heist at The Gun Shop in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks handed down the sentence, which also included an order for Witherspoon to pay over $48,000 in restitution.
Witherspoon was indicted on December 13, 2016, and arrested a month earlier on federal arrest warrants. The case took a turn when surveillance footage from October 13, 2016, at 2:52 a.m., caught Witherspoon and two others breaking into the Simpsonville firearms store. They wielded a sledge hammer and baseball bat to break display cases, stealing 43 handguns before fleeing in a stolen van.
Ms. Drake commended the Simpsonville and Charlotte police, ATF, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department for their joint efforts in solving the case. She emphasized the importance of cooperation in creating safer communities.
The investigation was led by the ATF, with assistance from local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick prosecuted the case, which remains active.
Witherspoon’s conviction sends a clear message about the serious consequences of such crimes in our community.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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