Spartanburg Man Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Court on Firearms and Drug Charges

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Alvin Jamal Bobo, age 36, of Spartanburg, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Timothy M. Cain accepted the plea and will impose sentence after United States Probation prepares a pre-sentence report. Bobo, based on prior felony convictions, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. He faces a statutory, mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.

Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that on July 16, 2016, members of the Spartanburg City Police Department (SPD) initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Alvin Jamal Bobo. After detecting the odor of marijuana, SPD searched the vehicle, recovering a Tupperware container under the driver’s seat containing 30 grams of marijuana, a digital scale in the driver’s door, a box of clear baggies, and a Sig Saur .22 caliber pistol from behind the passenger front seat.  As SPD was removing and securing the firearm, Bobo claimed it.  Pursuant to Bobo’s arrest, SPD also located a small amount of marijuana in his left shoe.

The Spartanburg Police Department and ATF investigated the case. Seventh Circuit Assistant Solicitor Jennifer Wells, serving as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the US Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting the case.

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