COLUMBIA, SC – Two Columbia residents are off the streets and facing serious time behind bars after pleading guilty to federal charges related to drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession. Robert Christopher McCoy, 23, and Terrone J. Anderson, 21, received sentences of 115 months and 96 months respectively in Federal District Court today, a direct result of the expedited prosecution program known as “Operation Real Time.”
The case unfolded on September 22, 2017, when Columbia Police officers spotted McCoy and Anderson smoking marijuana inside a vehicle near Bradley Drive and Robin Road. A routine traffic stop quickly escalated, revealing a stash of approximately 800 pills hidden in the center console, along with a loaded 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun tucked away on the floorboard. Anderson was initially found with two pills in his possession. Lab tests later confirmed the pills contained around 300 grams of methamphetamine mixture.
McCoy, already a repeat offender with a lengthy rap sheet including convictions for Burglary, Criminal Conspiracy, Discharging a Firearm Into an Occupied Vehicle, Unlawfully Carrying a Pistol, and Assault and Battery, admitted to knowingly possessing the firearm. Anderson confessed to intending to distribute the methamphetamine for profit, a brazen act made even more troubling by the fact that he was already on state parole for prior convictions of Accessory After the Fact to Felony and Threatening the Life of a Public Official. This wasn’t a first-time offense; it was a continuation of a pattern of disregard for the law.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake emphasized the collaborative effort that brought these defendants to justice. “We work best when we work together,” she stated, commending the partnership between local, state, and federal agencies. “This ‘real time’ identification of high-risk offenders is smart policing and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs, sheriffs, and solicitors in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.” The “Real Time” program, launched in August 2015, focuses on swiftly prosecuting individuals with significant criminal histories who continue to possess firearms, and has already led to the expedited prosecution of over 150 defendants statewide and the seizure of over 200 weapons.
The speed of prosecution in this case – guilty pleas entered just 68 days after arrest – is a hallmark of “Operation Real Time.” Both McCoy and Anderson have been held in continuous custody since their September 22, 2017 arrest and will remain incarcerated to serve out their federal sentences. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, alongside the Columbia Police Department, spearheaded the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney JD Rowell leading the prosecution.
This sentencing serves as a stark warning: in Columbia, and across South Carolina, those who choose to traffic drugs and illegally possess firearms will face swift and severe consequences. The combined forces of law enforcement are actively working to remove these dangerous individuals from the streets and protect the community. Chief Holbrook of Columbia, recognized for his community policing focus, has fully embraced the ‘Real Time’ partnership, demonstrating a commitment to a safer city.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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