COLUMBIA, S.C. — Paubon Ojo, 27, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on May 27, 2023, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to a store on Decker Blvd after receiving a call about a man shoplifting, later determined to be Ojo. When officers arrived, Ojo attempted to flee from the store and was detained. Officers search Ojo and found a stolen firearm in Ojo’s pocket and 447.3 grams of marijuana and a scale in his backpack.
Ojo has prior convictions for shoplifting, burglary, grand larceny, and strong-arm robbery, all of which prevent him from possessing a weapon under federal law.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Ojo to 100 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities .
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall prosecuted the case.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — South Carolina — U.S. Department of Justice press release.