A Columbia man with a record of robbery and drug trafficking has pleaded guilty to a federal firearm charge.
Taurus Jermaine Dotson, 38, of Columbia, has entered a guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to federal authorities, the evidence in the case revealed that on December 7, 2020, Dotson was stopped for a traffic violation in Richland County. During the stop, police obtained consent from Dotson to search the car he was driving, which led to the discovery of drugs and a 9mm pistol in the trunk.
The pistol, a 9mm, was loaded with an extended ammunition magazine containing 17 rounds of ammunition. Dotson was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to his prior robbery and drug trafficking convictions.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Dotson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Dotson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, which focuses on reducing violent crime by targeting the most violent offenders and partnering with locally based prevention and reentry programs.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Related Federal Cases
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- Jonathan Andrew Felkel, Violating Housing Rights, South Carolina, 2023 · South Carolina
- Jonathan Andrew Felkel, Shooting with Racial Bias, South Carolina 2019 · Alabama
- Jonathan Felkel, Shooting at Neighbor, South Carolina, 2023 · South Carolina
- Jonathan Felkel, Intimidation Based on Race, South Carolina 2023 · South Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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