Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Emanuel Alexander Cheeseboro, a/k/a “Mandoo" was sentenced in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, for six (6) counts of possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine, a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), two (2) counts of felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), two (2) counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and one (1) count of possession of a quantity of marijuana, a violation of 21 U.S.C. § 844(a). United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia, sentenced Cheeseboro to 622 months (51.8 years) incarceration followed by 6 years of supervised release. Cheeseboro was also fined $5,000 and has to pay an $1100 special assessment.
Evidence presented during the trial established that after numerous complaints from citizens, ATF and the Columbia Police Department began investigating drug dealing in the Martin Luther King Park area of Columbia. Law enforcement made multiple undercover purchases of crack cocaine from Cheeseboro in the spring of 2014. These purchases took place at different houses in the MLK Park area. In each case, Cheeseboro was captured on video selling the undercover police officer crack cocaine. During one purchase, Cheeseboro bragged about and displayed a 9mm Taurus firearm with a laser that he kept during nighttime drug purchases.
Pursuant to a search warrant executed during the investigation at a house where Cheeseboro was present, police found crack cocaine, marijuana, and scales. Law enforcement was also able to locate a firearm sometime after the search warrant that they were able to link to Cheeseboro, a convicted felon.
On June 8, 2016, CPD officers detained Cheeseboro and a female who were both located in a vehicle at a residence in Columbia, known as “the Hole." During their investigation and search of the car, officers found a Smith and Wesson.38 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat, a quantity of crack cocaine on the female driver, and a quantity of marijuana in the trunk of the car. According to the female occupant, Cheeseboro asked her to hide the crack cocaine on her person and shoved the gun under her seat when the police arrived.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys William K. Witherspoon and Alyssa Richardson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project Ceasefire is South Carolina’s continued application of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
