COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – In a shocking turn of events, Thomas Lashort Bullock, 33, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than twelve years in federal prison for his role in a string of gun and drug crimes.
According to evidence presented in court, on September 17, 2021, deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department initiated a traffic stop on Bullock’s vehicle. However, as the officer approached the vehicle, Bullock pulled away and jumped the center curb into oncoming traffic in order to evade the stop.
During the vehicle pursuit that followed, Bullock entered a neighborhood, where the officer observed Bullock toss a pistol out the vehicle’s driver side window. Bullock subsequently came to a stop and surrendered to officers.
Bullock was in possession of a Francolin International Arms 12-gauge shotgun, a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol, and various quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl, which he intended to distribute.
Bullock’s criminal history includes prior state convictions for assault and battery and burglary, as well as a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was detained without bond and pleaded guilty to three counts of the indictment.
U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie sentenced Bullock to 135 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Bullock was also sentenced to an additional ten months of imprisonment to run consecutively for his violations of the terms of his supervised release.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the government’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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
Defendant: Thomas Lashort Bullock
Age: 33
City and State: Columbia, South Carolina
Exact Date: September 17, 2021
Criminal Charges:
1. Being a felon in possession of a firearm
2. Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
3. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Sentence or Outcome:
135 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, plus an additional ten months of imprisonment to run consecutively for his violations of the terms of his supervised release.
Defendant’s Criminal History:
Bullock’s criminal history includes prior state convictions for assault and battery and burglary, as well as a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Related Federal Cases
- Alouis Levorge Taylor, Gun and Drug Offenses, South Carolina 2021 · South Carolina
- Lazarus Floyd, Multiple Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses, South Carolina 2023 · South Carolina
- Daniel Harrison Wallace, Narcotics & Firearms Crimes, South Carolina 2020 · South Carolina
- Anthony Tyrone Whitfield, Firearms and Narcotics Distribution, South Carolina 2022 · South Carolina
- Kenneth Archie, Firearms and Marijuana Possession, South Carolina 2021 · South Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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