Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Justin Bailey Rhodes, age 27, of Greenville, South Carolina was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Greenville for Possessing a Firearm In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, sentenced Rhodes to 100 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on March 25, 2016, South Carolina Department of Probation and Parole were conducting a home visit on parolee Justin Bailey Rhodes at his residence. Officers searched Rhodes apartment and found bags of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a Bersa Model Thunder.380 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with four rounds of ammunition. A trace was conducted on the firearm, which was found to have been stolen. Rhodes was arrested and has remained in custody since.
Rhodes’s case was expedited for federal prosecution pursuant to Operation “Real Time." The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Upstate community. “Real Time" is a working collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as state and federal prosecutors.
The case was investigated by agents of the ATF, South Carolina Department of Probation and Parole, and 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
