A federal grand jury in Florence indicted Demondre Laquari Wright, 26, of Orangeburg, on March 25 for robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
The case centers on an undercover operation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier in March. According to the indictment, Wright arranged to sell three firearms—including one with a machine gun conversion device—to an FBI confidential source in St. George. The FBI provided $4,000 to the source for the transaction.
During the meeting inside the source’s vehicle, Wright allowed the source to inspect one gun he brought. When the source found it was loaded and emptied its magazine, Wright reloaded it and pointed it at the source’s chest and head. He then demanded all of the money from the source. The confidential informant complied and handed over $4,000 in marked buy money.
Wright exited to his own car but was quickly confronted by FBI agents using lights and sirens. After attempting to flee on foot, he was apprehended following a brief chase.
The indictment alleges that on March 3 Wright robbed the confidential source using a firearm and unlawfully possessed ammunition despite prior felony convictions for assault and battery first degree as well as discharging firearms into a dwelling. These convictions made him legally prohibited from possessing ammunition under federal law.
If convicted of these charges, Wright faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment with a maximum possible penalty of life imprisonment. He is currently detained pending further proceedings.
The investigation was led by agents from FBI Columbia Field Office with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Hamlett and Cole Shannon. Authorities emphasize that all charges are accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
