Sumter Men Plead to Firearm and Drug Charges

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Brandon Leroid Cummings, age 27, and Brandon Christopher Craft, age 30, both of Sumter, pled guilty in federal court to various firearm and drug charges. Cummings pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and cocaine base (commonly known as “crack cocaine”) and conspiracy to use/carry/possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). Craft pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to use/carry/possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(o). Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten, of Columbia, accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence reports, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented in court during the guilty plea hearing established that May 17, 2017, Cummings distributed crack cocaine and four baggies of heroin to a confidential informant and undercover officer in exchange for $400. The transaction, which occurred in Sumter, was recorded on audio/video. Thereafter, on May 25, 2017, Cummings made arrangements to sell a firearm and heroin to the confidential informant in exchange for $800. When Cummings arrived to meet the confidential informant and the undercover officer, he was accompanied by Craft. Cummings provided the confidential informant what he said was heroin. Craft produced a Taurus .38 caliber revolver from a bag hidden in his waistband and gave it to the confidential informant. The investigation revealed that the firearm had been reported as stolen. Additionally, the heroin sold by Cummings on this occasion, while packaged like the previously sold heroin, was found to be cocaine during a laboratory analysis.

Cummings faces an enhanced penalty on the drug charge in light of prior state convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of crack cocaine (2 counts), and possession schedule I/schedule II controlled substance 2nd offense. Craft is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm based upon his prior state convictions for burglary 2nd degree (3 counts), possession of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, assault and battery 2nd degree, and forgery.

Cummings and Craft each face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years on the conspiracy to use/carry/possess a firearm during a drug trafficking crime charge. Additionally, Cummings faces a maximum of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of $2,000,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years on the drug charge. Finally, on the felon in possession charge, Craft faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.

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