Spartanburg Man Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Court on Firearms Charge

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Tikita Foster, age 31, of Spartanburg, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville to a single-count indictment charging violations of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm and ammunition after sustaining a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. United States District Timothy M. Cain accepted the plea and will impose sentence after United States Probation prepares a pre-sentence report. Foster has prior prohibiting convictions to include a conviction for domestic violence, and therefore, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.

Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that on May 13, 2016, officers with the Spartanburg Police Department (SPD) were dispatched to a Farley Street residence in reference to a fight outside involving weapons.  Upon arrival, SPD made contact with Tikita Foster and another individual who were outside the residence arguing.  When asked by SPD if either had any weapons on them, Foster stated that he had a weapon.  SPD then recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol from Foster.  Foster later told SPD that the firearm belonged to his girlfriend but that he had it because someone was trying to fight his cousin. 

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 U.S. Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting the case.

             
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