COLUMBIA, S.C. – LaClarence Lamarcus Anderson, 42, of Columbia, is facing a lengthy prison sentence after a federal jury found him guilty on all 12 counts related to a brazen gun and drug trafficking operation. The verdict came after two days of testimony revealing Anderson repeatedly peddled illegal firearms and narcotics, flagrantly disregarding the law and endangering the community.
The evidence painted a damning picture of Anderson’s activities throughout a three-week period in 2024. On four separate occasions, he conducted transactions involving both guns and drugs. The first sale included a pistol, methamphetamine, and cocaine. He escalated from there, moving two pistols, cocaine, and crack cocaine in the second transaction. The third saw the exchange of a pistol, a rifle, and more cocaine. By the fourth deal, Anderson was offering a staggering arsenal – three pistols, an AR-style rifle, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Critically, investigators also discovered Anderson sold a pistol equipped with a switch, a device that illegally converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Anderson wasn’t merely selling guns; he was using the firearm sales to fuel his drug trafficking enterprise. This connection carries severe penalties. Federal law already prohibited Anderson from possessing any firearms due to a lengthy rap sheet including convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, armed robbery, burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted person, resisting arrest, and a prior unlawful weapons sale. This wasn’t a first offense; it was a pattern of criminal behavior.
Anderson now faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years behind bars, with the potential for a life sentence, stemming from his four convictions for carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. He could also receive up to 15 years on each of the four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and up to 20 years on each of the four counts of drug distribution. Beyond imprisonment, Anderson is looking at a potential fine of up to $1 million and five years of supervised release following his sentence.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided over the trial and will determine Anderson’s fate after reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is a key component of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement at all levels and the communities they serve. The program emphasizes building trust, supporting community-based violence prevention, strategic enforcement, and measurable results.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Kathleen Stoughton are leading the prosecution. This conviction sends a clear message: those who repeatedly violate the law and flood our streets with guns and drugs will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
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- Columbia Gun & Drug Runner Gets 15 Years · South Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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