Justin Washington, Gun and Drug Trafficking, South Carolina 2022
COLUMBIA, S.C. - A local man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to gun and drug trafficking charges.
Justin Washington, 24, of Columbia, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on charges of Possession of Stolen Firearms and Possession of a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense.
On October 22, 2022, deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at Washington's residence, which was based on his involvement in multiple car break-ins throughout Richland County.
During the search, deputies recovered four firearms, 9mm and 300 blackout ammunition, multiple gun magazines, over $4,300 in cash, more than 220 grams of marijuana, a window punch, and several tools related to breaking into motor vehicles.
Washington admitted to possessing the items recovered by law enforcement and stated that he stole the firearms in his possession. He also told law enforcement that he would often sell the firearms he stole from motor vehicles.
At the time of the incident, Washington was on parole for Breaking into a Motor Vehicle, a felony which prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Washington to 90 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Richland County Sheriff's Department, the City of Columbia Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall, Elle Klein, and Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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