Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Aaryon Brian Dowdy, a/k/a “Trouble," age 27, of Columbia, South Carolina was sentenced today after earlier pleading guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a), and 924(e). Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Dowdy to 75 months imprisonment with 3 years of federal supervised release to follow.
Evidence presented at the earlier change of plea hearing established that on Jan. 3, 2014, Dowdy and another individual were involved in an altercation inside a convenience store on Farrow Road in Columbia. Evidence showed that during the altercation, Dowdy pulled a handgun and shot the other individual in the face. Dowdy then fled the scene. The incident was captured on videotape. The Columbia Police Department issued state warrants of attempted murder and possession of a firearm during a violent crime (those state charges remain pending and Mr. Dowdy is innocent until proven guilty).
Dowdy was apprehended in Orangeburg on Jan. 14, 2014. At the time of his state arrest on Jan. 14, 2014, Dowdy had a loaded.357 caliber handgun in his possession. The investigation revealed that the handgun was the same handgun used in the Jan. 3, 2014, incident. Dowdy is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his prior state convictions for burglary 2nd degree (2 separate offenses) and attempted burglary 2nd degree.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Columbia Police Department, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
