Columbia Man Sentenced for Firearm Offense After a Call from a Concerned Citizen

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Marquise Edward Carolina, 32, of Columbia was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on Aug. 11, 2019, the City of Columbia Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen who reported that a man dressed in all black, driving a black vehicle, was waiving a gun around at a local apartment complex in the middle of the day. Officers responded to the scene and observed Carolina wearing all black in the front passenger's seat of a black sedan. Officers searched Carolina and found a loaded pistol in his pants.

Carolina has prior convictions for attempted armed robbery, kidnapping, burglary, possession of cocaine, and possession of crack cocaine, all of which prevent him from carrying a firearm under federal law. Additionally, Carolina has convictions for assault and battery 3^rd degree and domestic violence 3^rd degree.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Carolina to 63 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

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 and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.

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