Tyrell Rakeem Sanders, a 29-year-old resident of Newberry, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. The sentence follows his guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing methamphetamine and marijuana with the intent to distribute.
The court heard evidence regarding an incident on December 22, 2022. Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of potential drug sales from a vehicle parked at an apartment complex. Upon arrival, they found Sanders in the driver's seat. Detecting the smell of marijuana and spotting a firearm handle visible on the floorboard, deputies detained Sanders and his passenger before conducting a search.
During the search, officers recovered a stolen .40 caliber pistol near Sanders's seat, which he admitted owning. Additionally, they found 201 grams of marijuana in a backpack on the driver’s floorboard and discovered 37.9 grams of methamphetamine in multi-colored pills on Sanders's person.
At sentencing, additional incidents involving Sanders were considered. These included two separate occasions where he possessed firearms and an instance where he led police on a high-speed chase over more than 20 miles. These factors contributed to enhancing his advisory sentencing guideline range.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Sanders to 151 months' imprisonment followed by six years of supervised release. It is noted that there is no parole option within the federal system.
This case forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program focuses on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Richland County Sheriff’s Department; and Newberry County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Sanford is leading the prosecution.