A federal jury in Columbia has found Yashawnus Leekean Patterson, 44, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The conviction followed a two-day trial where evidence included testimony and body camera footage from Columbia Police Department officers.
Officers responded to a hotel in downtown Columbia to assist in removing Patterson, who was no longer staying there. They discovered he was wanted on a bench warrant from the Cayce Police Department and arrested him. During a search, officers found a loaded 9mm pistol in his waistband, an extended magazine with 30 rounds in his backpack, and 74 rounds of ammunition among his belongings. Patterson admitted he knew he was not allowed to possess a firearm legally.
Patterson’s criminal history includes felony convictions dating back to 1998 for offenses such as criminal sexual conduct with a minor, strong-arm robbery, and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the trial. She will sentence Patterson after reviewing a report from the U.S. Probation Office. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison, along with potential fines and restitution.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering community trust, supporting prevention organizations, setting enforcement priorities, and measuring results. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Sanford and Elizabeth Major are prosecuting.
