Terrance Lopez Mayo, a 33-year-old resident of Columbia, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 31 months in federal prison after being found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, who also ordered that Mayo serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment. There is no possibility of parole in the federal system.
The incident leading to Mayo’s arrest occurred on November 13, 2023. Officers responded to a report from a witness who said he saw a male passenger in a vehicle point a gun at him. When officers located the parked vehicle and approached it, Mayo fled on foot. During the pursuit, he discarded a 9mm pistol, which investigators later determined had been reported stolen. Due to his previous conviction for attempted armed robbery, Mayo was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.
According to officials, this prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust within communities and supporting prevention efforts alongside targeted enforcement actions.
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