Davon Jermaine Mickle, a 40-year-old resident of Kershaw, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea follows an incident on August 19, 2023, when the Camden Police Department responded to reports of a shooting near a nightclub.
According to evidence from the investigation, three victims stated that while at the nightclub, Mickle began harassing one of them. They observed Mickle carrying an AR-style rifle in the parking lot and placing it inside a car. After a brief argument with him, the victims left together. As they were departing, they saw Mickle retrieve the rifle from his car and fire at their vehicle nearly two dozen times. Officers later recovered 23 cartridge casings at the scene and found one bullet hole in the bumper of the victims’ car.
The victims identified Mickle as the shooter. Investigators also discovered he had an outstanding arrest warrant. Deputies from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office located Mickle at his residence sitting in his vehicle with an AR-style rifle visible in the passenger seat. He was detained and officers secured the firearm. Surveillance footage reviewed by police showed that the shooter wore shoes, blue jean shorts, and black boxers matching those worn by Mickle at his arrest. Although investigators determined that this particular gun was not used in the shooting, residue tests confirmed that Mickle had recently fired a weapon.
Mickle is barred from possessing firearms or ammunition due to previous convictions for drug-related offenses including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and multiple counts involving crack cocaine distribution.
He now faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years and could receive up to life imprisonment in federal prison. Additional penalties include up to $250,000 in fines, restitution payments, and five years of supervised release following incarceration. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. accepted Mickle’s guilty plea; sentencing will occur after review of a report prepared by U.S. Probation Office.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates law enforcement agencies and community groups with aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through strategies such as building trust within communities and supporting organizations focused on violence prevention.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives worked alongside local authorities during this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is leading prosecution efforts.
"The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results," according to officials.
