COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Columbia man was recently sentenced to years in federal prison on drug and gun charges.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for South Carolina announced on Friday that 36-year-old Melvin Roshad Simuel will spend more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
The charges stem from a period in 2018 during which prosecutors said Simuel was arrested three times for having a firearm and distributing meth and marijuana. Prosecutors said two of the guns were stolen.
They added that Simuel was already on probation for a state firearm conviction at the time of his 2018 arrests.
Simuel's previous burglary and firearms convictions meant he couldn't have a gun or ammunition based on federal law.
As a result of his latest conviction, Simuel must spend 90 months in prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. As this is a federal conviction, no parole is possible for the charges.
