Lexington County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen Gun (DOJ)

COLUMBIA, S.C. -Trevor Jerremy Jones, 36, of Lexington County has pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and possessing a stolen firearm.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Nov. 6, 2021, a University of South Carolina Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jones after determining that the car tag had expired. When the officer approached the vehicle, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana in the driver's side door and a large clear plastic bag containing a large amount of suspected marijuana in the center console.

A further search of the car revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol in the glove box. The gun had been reported stolen. Jones claimed he bought the firearm from a friend and admitted that he knew or had reason to know that it was stolen. Jones also had a large amount of money, grouped into small denominations, consistent with the sale of narcotics. Lab tests confirmed Jones possessed marijuana, in a quantity that he intended to distribute.

Jones faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Jones after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the University of South Carolina Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

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