SC man who was pulled over goes to prison for what was inside the vehicle, prosecutor says
A South Carolina man is going to federal prison after being convicted of a gun crime, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Terry Leslie Washington, a 46-year-old West Columbia resident, was sentenced to 15 years behind bars after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday in a news release.
The charge stemmed from a traffic stop, according to the release. The traffic stop happened April 19, 2023, Richland County court records show.
Washington was driving a vehicle pulled over by a Columbia Police Department officer for operating without a tag light, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Washington told the officer that he didn’t have a valid driver’s license, but did possess both a gun and marijuana with him in the car, according to the release. Washington was arrested after the officer searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9mm pistol along with three plastic pouches of marijuana and a clear plastic baggie containing psilocybin mushrooms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Washington is prohibited from possessing a gun because of prior convictions for strong-armed robbery, robbery/armed with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, robbery while armed or allegedly armed with a deadly weapon and attempted armed robbery, according to the release.
Washington’s prison sentence will be followed by a 5-year term of court-ordered supervision, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. There is no parole in the federal system.
In addition to police, the case was investigated by the ATF, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William Witherspoon led the prosecution. Public Defender Hannah Ward was previously listed as Washington’s attorney, court records show.
The state drug and weapons charges against Washington from the arrest were dismissed, according to court records.
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This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM with the headline "SC man who was pulled over goes to prison for what was inside the vehicle, prosecutor says."
