A Columbia man has been sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for gun and weed trafficking.
James Eric Hampton, Jr., 37, of Columbia, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
On June 10, 2019, an officer with the University of South Carolina Police Department observed a vehicle at the intersection of Gervais Street and Assembly Street, which had a suspended license plate.
The officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and after a search, over an ounce of marijuana, packed in baggies, along with a digital scale and cash were found.
Hampton admitted to having sold marijuana earlier and a stolen, loaded Ruger 9mm handgun was also located in the vehicle.
Hampton had been released from the South Carolina Department of Corrections a year earlier after serving time for possession of a firearm.
He was placed under arrested on state charges and later indicted federally. Hampton, who was later released on federal bond with GPS monitoring, absconded supervision, cut off the ankle monitor, and fled to North Carolina, where the United States Marshal’s Service apprehended him and returned him to South Carolina.
Hampton is a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law based upon prior state convictions.
He has prior state convictions from Richland, Fairfield, Newberry, and Lexington Counties for use of a vehicle without permission, driving under suspension, unlawful possession of a firearm, burglary 3rd degree, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, giving false information, simple possession of marijuana, habitual traffic offender, assault and battery 2nd degree, and possession of a pistol by an unlawful person convicted of a crime of violence.
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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