Discovery of dozens of guns and stolen vehicles lands 3 men in jail, SC sheriff says
Three men who are convicted felons were recently arrested following the discovery of dozens of guns and other stolen goods, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
Joshua Nelson, 38, Michael Lankford, 67, and Larry Grubbs, 66, were charged with multiple weapons crimes, the sheriff’s department said Wednesday in a news release.
The guns were seized Feb. 21, following a community tip, according to the release.
“Deputies received a community tip about Nelson possibly storing firearms (in) the 4000 block of Fish Hatchery Road in Gaston,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said in the release. “After obtaining a search warrant, deputies found four firearms and four dirt bikes. Three of the dirt bikes were confirmed stolen.”
Information from Nelson led agents to contact the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office about searching his mother’s home in the 1000 block of Valley Ridge Road, according to the release. That’s in the area between Interstate 26 and Pine Plain Road in Calhoun County.
While searching that home, deputies found 15 more guns, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said.
“Lankford led agents to another home in the 200 block of Sandspur Road in (the Pelion area of Lexington County) where an additional 16 firearms were found,” Koon said. “The next day deputies followed up at the 200 block of Betty Boulevard (in Lexington) and recovered a stolen camper out of Kershaw County.”
Nelson was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain crimes, according to the release.
Lankford was charged with seven counts of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain crimes, the sheriff’s department said.
Grubbs was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain crimes and operating a chop shop, according to the release.
All three men were booked into the Lexington County Detention Center, and both Nelson and Lankford have been released after posting bond, the sheriff’s department said. Bond was set at $5,000 on each of the weapons possession charges, according to Lexington County court records.
Bond was set at $12,000 on Grubbs’ combined charges, but he remains behind bars, jail records show.
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This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 7:31 AM with the headline "Discovery of dozens of guns and stolen vehicles lands 3 men in jail, SC sheriff says."
