U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs | U.S. Department of Justice
Joseph Nayquan Kelly, a 30-year-old resident of Eastover, South Carolina, has been sentenced to over six years in federal prison. Kelly pled guilty to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case stemmed from an incident on December 28, 2021, when deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department stopped a vehicle for having a mismatched license plate. Kelly was found as a passenger during this stop. Deputies detected the smell of marijuana and were informed by the driver about its presence in the car. A search revealed approximately one pound of marijuana and a stolen 9mm pistol with an extended magazine inside a shoebox. Kelly admitted ownership of both items. The court also held him accountable for possessing other pistols and involvement in reckless vehicle pursuits on separate occasions.
"Kelly is convicted felon and is unable to lawfully possess firearms or ammunition," stated court documents.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis handed down a sentence of 78 months imprisonment for Kelly, followed by three years of supervised release. It was noted that there is no parole available within the federal system.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, PSN launched a strategy focusing on community trust, support for violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and result measurement. Kelly had previously participated in Columbia's Project Ceasefire initiative which aims to connect at-risk probationers with social services while emphasizing severe consequences for re-offending.
"This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia Police Department," said officials involved in the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford is leading the prosecution.
