Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Quavon Melik Bellamy, age 22, of Longs, SC, was sentenced in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Ammunition and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Bellamy to 24 months in federal prison with 3 years of supervised release to follow.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that on Feb. 14, 2017, law enforcement responded to a call about a man with a gun. The 911 caller provided officers with Bellamy’s name and a vehicle tag number. Officers ran the tag and identified the address on the vehicle’s registration. Officers responded to the address and located the vehicle in the front yard. When the officers arrived at the residence, Bellamy exited the house, and officers informed him of the victim’s report. Bellamy stated that he ran into the victim and they had “words," but he denied possessing or presenting a firearm. Officers confirmed the vehicle was registered to Bellamy and inquired about firearms in the vehicle. Bellamy responded there were no firearms in the vehicle and gave consent to a search of the vehicle. Upon opening the vehicle door, the officer immediately smelled marijuana. Officers searched the vehicle and located a black purse on the back seat that contained two glass jars of marijuana and a scale. Officers also found a Springfield Armory 9mm handgun on the rear floorboard, fully loaded with fifteen rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber. After being advised of his rights and agreeing to speak with law enforcement, Bellamy initially claimed he did not know anything about the firearm, only later to admit that it was his and that he presented it to the victim. After running the firearm’s serial number through dispatch, officers confirmed that the firearm was stolen.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Horry County Police Department, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office handled the case.
This case was brought as part 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
