Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Nakeo Tawian Vance, age 41, of Greenville, South Carolina was sentenced today in federal court in Greenville, South Carolina, for two counts Uttering Counterfeit Securities and one count Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 472 and 922(g). United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks of Charleston sentenced Vance to thirty months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that in May of 2015, law enforcement stopped Vance and found him in possession of ninety-eight counterfeit bills. Vance claimed he had received the money from a drug deal and had already used $600 to pay off drug debts. In May of 2016, the Greenville Police Department responded to a call concerning suspicious activity at a hotel. When law enforcement arrived, they observed Vance standing outside a vehicle, and upon their approach, the officers saw Vance shove something into a backpack and throw the backpack in the car. The officers frisked Vance and located a Butler Associate Incorporated, Model Single Shot,.22 short caliber pistol. The firearm was loaded with one round of.22 short ammunition. Vance fled, but the officers apprehended him shortly thereafter. Law enforcement recovered more counterfeit bills from Vance at that time. Greenville Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant for the car and located a General Precision Corporation, Model 60,.22 short caliber revolver, in the backpack Vance had been holding, along with other drug paraphernalia. The firearm was loaded with five rounds of.22 short ammunition. Vance has prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms at the time.
The case was investigated by agents of ATF and the Greenville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
