Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri
A. Lydon stated that Zadgery Collins McNeil, age 32, of Rock Hill, was
sentenced in federal court to a total of 150 months imprisonment, to be
followed by 4 years of supervised release. McNeil plead guilty earlier this year
to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent
to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections
922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) and Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1),
841(b)(1)(D), and 851. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of
Columbia imposed the sentence, which consisted of 100 months imprisonment on
the firearm charge and a consecutive 50 months imprisonment on the marijuana
charge.
Evidence presented in court established that at
approximately 1:25 pm on December 6, 2016, Rock Hill Police Department received
numerous 911 calls regarding a shooting on Jones Avenue, at McNeil’s residence.
Investigation revealed that individuals were shooting at McNeil, when he went
around the corner of the house and came back with a handgun. Thereafter, the
other individuals fled from the scene in an SUV and McNeil fled in his car. An
officer responding to the shooting encountered McNeil’s car at the intersection
of South Stonewall Street and Arch Drive. The officer observed McNeil step out
of his car, fire a handgun several times at an SUV that was approaching, and
then speed away. Officers attempted a traffic stop and McNeil pulled into the
driveway of a residence. McNeil bailed from his car, which then crashed into
the porch of the house. A footchase ensued during which McNeil threw down the
handgun. McNeil ran into a nearby home and the residents, who had children in
the home, alerted law enforcement. McNeil was placed under arrest a short time
later and officers recovered $550 and the discarded loaded Smith and Wesson .40
caliber handgun. A search of McNeil’s vehicle revealed approximately 348 grams
of marijuana and a spent shell casing along with other items linked to McNeil.
McNeil is prohibited under federal law from possessing
firearms and ammunition based upon his prior separate South Carolina state
convictions for possession of crack cocaine (2006), assault and battery of a
high and aggravated nature (2007), possession with intent to distribute
marijuana (2012), possession with intent to distribute marijuana near a park
(2014), and distribution of marijuana 2nd offense (2014). At the time of the
instant offense, McNeil was on state probation for a North Carolina conviction
for possession of a firearm by a felon (2014).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) and the Rock Hill Police Department and was prosecuted as
part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which
aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project
Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in
bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and
make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has
made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In
October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend,
Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all
U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that
incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United
States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.
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