Two NC Teens Indicted in Simpsonville Gun Store Heist

Just before dawn on October 13, 2016, The Gun Shop on NE Main Street in Simpsonville, South Carolina, was hit hard — shattered glass, ransacked inventory, and dozens of firearms ripped from a federally licensed dealer’s stock. Now, federal prosecutors have charged two 18-year-olds from Charlotte, North Carolina — Sahier Lavon Richardson and Juran Maghi Witherspoon — in connection with the armed break-in and theft.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment on December 13, 2016, charging Richardson and Witherspoon with unlawfully taking and carrying away firearms from the licensed business at 622 NE Main Street. The indictment alleges the pair knowingly stole weapons that had moved in interstate and foreign commerce, aiding and abetting each other in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(u), 924(i)(1), and 2. The haul? Multiple firearms, exact count sealed pending investigation.

Richardson and Witherspoon were arrested in early November on federal warrants and have been locked up without bond ever since. Authorities moved fast, tracking leads across state lines with precision. Now, they face a federal docket where conviction could mean years behind bars, not just for theft, but for tampering with a regulated firearms business.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, working in lockstep with local agencies — the Simpsonville Police Department, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Their collaboration cut through jurisdictional seams, turning a small-town burglary into a high-priority federal case.

Assistant United States Attorney Lance Crick, out of the Greenville office, has been assigned to prosecute. The case marks another flashpoint in the DOJ’s push to crack down on illegal firearm trafficking rings, especially those involving stolen dealer inventory. Federal statutes like 922(u) exist for a reason — to protect the integrity of licensed gun sales and punish those who weaponize theft.

Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake reminded the public that the charges are accusations — Richardson and Witherspoon are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. But with federal agents, local cops, and prosecutors all lined up, the case sends a clear message: rip off a gun store in the dead of night, and the full force of the law will come knocking — no matter where you’re from.

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