Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

FLORENCE, S.C. -Michael David Brown, 44, of Myrtle Beach, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Jan. 10, 2024, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department spotted a vehicle in a motel parking lot with a man slumped over behind the wheel. Officers stopped to check on the man and determined he was intoxicated. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun on the passenger seat.

Brown is a felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. He has previous convictions for domestic violence, assault and battery.

Brown faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine, restitution, and supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Brown after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report from 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case.

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