COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – In a shocking turn of events, Leon Johnny King, 38, of Columbia, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for his role in a brazen drug trafficking operation in the Columbia area.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that in June 2019, Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) narcotics investigators began investigating King for drug trafficking activity. Investigators made a series of controlled buys of heroin from King, which led to investigators executing a search warrant at King’s apartment in July 2019.
During the search, investigators found a loaded .380 pistol and a quantity of heroin in a bag in King’s bedroom. After his arrest, investigators found a quantity of crack cocaine and more heroin on his person. The discovery was a significant blow to King’s operation, which had been bringing illicit substances into the community for months.
Federal law prohibits King from possessing firearms or ammunition based on convictions for trafficking cocaine and autobreaking. It is clear that King’s actions put the community at risk, and his sentencing serves as a reminder of the consequences of such crimes.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced King to 90 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. With no parole in the federal system, King will have ample time to reflect on his actions and consider the impact they had on the community.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. The PSN program focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case. The sentencing of Leon Johnny King serves as a reminder of the importance of the PSN program in reducing violent crime in our communities.
The facts of this case are clear: Leon Johnny King was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation. The charges against him include possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
Mandatory Facts: Defendant: Leon Johnny King, 38, of Columbia, South Carolina. Charges: possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime. City and State: Columbia, South Carolina. Date: June 2019 (investigation began), July 2019 (search warrant executed). Sentence: 90 months in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.
Related Federal Cases
- Lazarus Floyd, Multiple Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses, South Carolina 2023 · South Carolina
- Alouis Levorge Taylor, Gun and Drug Offenses, South Carolina 2021 · Connecticut
- Thomas Lashort Bullock, Gun and Drug Crimes, South Carolina 2021 · South Carolina
- Harold Broome Jr., Bulk Cocaine Trafficking, North Carolina 2023 · New York
- Jimmy Flores, Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses, Connecticut 2020 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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