Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Robert Christopher McCoy, age 23, of Columbia, South Carolina and Terrone J. Anderson, age 21, of Columbia, South Carolina were sentenced to 115 months and 96 months respectively in Federal District Court today. McCoy previously entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18, U.S.C. § 922(g). Anderson previously entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of a Methamphetamine mixture, in violation of 21 U.S.C § 841. United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten, of Columbia, accepted the guilty pleas and imposed their sentences today at the Matthew Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on Sept. 22, 2017, Robert McCoy and Terrone Anderson were traveling in a car near Bradley Drive and Robin Road in the Columbia, when Columbia Police Officers observed them smoking marijuana in the vehicle. After a traffic stop was conducted, Anderson was found to be in possession of two pills in his pants. A search of the vehicle revealed an additional 800 pills in the center console of the vehicle and a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in the floorboard. During the guilty plea, McCoy admitted that he knowingly and intentionally possessed the firearm. Prior to possessing the firearm, McCoy has previously been convicted of multiple South Carolina convictions for Burglary, Criminal Conspiracy, Discharging a Firearm Into an Occupied Vehicle, Unlawfully Carrying a Pistol, Assault and Battery and others. Anderson admitted to knowingly possessing all the pills, which were lab tested and confirmed to be approximately 300 grams of a methamphetamine mixture. Anderson further admitted that he intended to sell the pills for profit. Anderson has previously been convicted of Accessory After the Fact to Felony and Threatening the Life of a Public Official. It was noted at the guilty plea that Anderson was on state parole for those state prior convictions at the time of the federal drug trafficking crime.
This case was expedited for federal prosecution pursuant to Operation “Real Time." McCoy and Anderson were arrested on Sept. 22, 2017, and just 68 days later, they pled guilty to the above charges. They have been in continuous custody since their arrest on Sept. 22, 2017, and they will remain in custody until they serve out their federal sentences.
The goal of the “Real Time" program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the community. “Real Time" is a working collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as state and federal prosecutors. Since August of 2015, the initiative, state-wide, has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of over 150 defendants and seizure of over 200 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons in the upstate.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the partnership between local, state, and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case. “We work best when we work together. This ‘real time’ identification of high risk offenders is smart policing and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs, sheriffs, and solicitors in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities. Columbia Chief Holbrook is a leader here, using our Real Time partnership in combination with his community policing focus for a safer Columbia."
The case was investigated by agents of the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney JD Rowell of the Columbia office prosecuted the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
