Summerville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Weapon Violation

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Mark Lee Frasier, 33, of Summerville, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a in possession of a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction.

Evidence presented in court showed that on Feb. 7, 2023, Charleston Police officers encountered Frasier while patrolling a high-crime area. He was parked in front of an abandoned building, and officers saw what appeared to be a bag of cocaine inside the vehicle. When Frasier noticed police, he fled in the car until he reached a dead-end street. Frasier ran but was quickly apprehended.

A search of the vehicle uncovered 9.31 grams of cocaine in the center console, 3.62 grams of crack cocaine on the driver’s floorboard, 15 methamphetamine pills, and a marijuana blunt. Officers also recovered a stolen .40 caliber pistol from the driver’s seat where Frasier had been sitting. Because of prior felony convictions, Frasier is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He was also eligible for a sentencing enhancement due to prior convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses.

At the time of this arrest, Frasier was out on bond for state charges including murder, attempted murder, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a firearm during a violent crime, and unlawful carrying of a pistol.

United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Frasier to 20 years imprisonment as part of a negotiated agreement between the parties to be followed by five years of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, 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.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.

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