South Carolina man gets over 5 years for illegal firearms possession

A South Carolina man was sentenced to 70 months in prison Friday for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person.

Twenty-two-year-old Deshawn Edwards, of Spartanburg, previously entered a guilty plea to the charges on Feb. 6, 2017, according to a Justice Department news release.

The change of plea hearing included the presentation of evidence that showed officers recovered four firearms and ammunition from Edwards’ residence on Nov. 1, 2016, while conducting a search.

Edwards was prohibited from possessing guns at the time due to his criminal record.

Edwards’ arrest was part of Operation Real-Time, a program aimed to arrest and prosecute individuals with criminal histories who continue to illegally possess firearms. Since August 2015, the program has netted 115 defendants and led to the seizure of over 130 guns.

U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that has so far made the program a success.

“We work best when we work together,” Drake said. “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.”

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