"Real Time": Four Men Plead Guilty in Federal Court on Gun-Related Charges

Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2100

COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that multiple individuals this week entered guilty pleas this week on federal gun charges. Guilty pleas and sentencing hearings are bifurcated in the federal system and United States District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks presided over the guilty plea hearings this week. Judge Hendricks will sentence the defendants at a later date after a presentence investigation report is prepared by United States Probation.

These cases represent a small snapshot of “Real Time,” an ongoing local, state, and federal initiative that expedites the identification, arrest, detention, and federal prosecution of repeat offenders arrested with firearms. The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Greenville community.

In addition to Greenville Police Department, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Real Time’s core partners include the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the 13^th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller and his department were one of the first partners on board for this initiative. “This multi-agency partnership endeavors to keep our communities safe and reduce firearms violence through ‘real time’ identification of dangerous individuals who seek to disrupt our streets and communities with firearms-driven violence.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the partnership between the state and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office picking the case up, “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 and sheriffs in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.”

Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of some 90 defendants and seizure of over 110 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons.

Guilty Pleas, January 11, 2017:

United States v. Kyle Lamar Carrol:

Evidence presented by the government during the guilty plea hearing established that on October 10, 2016, Deputies with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to the Spring Grove Apartments, in reference to a call stating people were shooting at the apartment complex. When GCSO arrived and began their investigation, they recovered numerous spent shell casings from the parking lot and viewed surveillance video, which enabled them to identify possible suspects. GCSO charged Carrol and during questioning, Carrol admitted discharging a firearm in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Though no weapons were recovered, prior to this incident date, Carrol had previously been convicted of a crime for which he could have received more than a year in prison, prohibiting his possession of firearms or ammunition, pursuant to federal law.

Sentencing will occur at a later date. The case was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office.

United States v. Joseph Martin Hunter and Sir Carlton Anthony Baker:

Evidence presented by the government during the guilty plea hearing established that on October 11, 2016, Hunter and Baker possessed and sold a Ruger .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber ammunition to Greenville Police Department confidential informant in an undercover operation. Hunter and Baker were arrested the next day. Prior to this incident date, Hunter and Baker had each previously been convicted of crimes for which they could have received more than a year in prison, prohibiting their possession of firearms or ammunition, pursuant to federal law.

Sentencing will occur at a later date. The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office.

United States v. Demetrius O’Brian Hunter:

Evidence presented by the government during the guilty plea hearing established that, on June 19, 2016, a Greenville Police Officer stopped a vehicle driven by Hunter for running a stop sign. During the stop, due to observations made by the officer, the officer conducted a brief search of Hunter as well as of the inside of the vehicle.

During that limited search, the officer recovered a loaded .9mm magazine in the center console. Based on the recovery of the ammunition, a search of the entire car was performed and the officers recovered a loaded .9mm pistol and a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Prior to this incident date, Hunter had previously been convicted of a crime for which he could have received more than a year in prison, prohibiting his possession of firearms or ammunition, pursuant to federal law.

Sentencing will occur at a later date. The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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