Demetrius McIlwain, a 51-year-old resident of Williston, South Carolina, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was accepted by United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, who will determine sentencing after reviewing a report from the U.S. Probation Office.
According to information from the investigation, deputies with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office were searching for a suspect in an alleged domestic violence incident when they encountered McIlwain sitting in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle with a female passenger. Deputies attempted to identify McIlwain to assess his involvement in the case, but he refused to cooperate. When asked to exit the vehicle, McIlwain informed deputies that there was a shotgun inside and then drove away. He later crashed his truck and fled on foot.
A search of the vehicle led deputies to recover an AR-style pistol from the front seat, a shotgun from the back seat, and another firearm located in a toolbox within the vehicle. A small amount of fentanyl was also found in the driver’s side cupholder. The passenger identified McIlwain as the driver, and additional paperwork linked him to the truck. McIlwain was subsequently arrested and admitted he had been driving.
Due to previous convictions—including grand larceny, burglary (multiple counts), criminal sexual conduct second degree, malicious injury to personal property, and assault and battery with intent to kill—McIlwain is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
He faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted, along with possible fines reaching $250,000, restitution payments, and three years of supervised release following any prison term.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and community organizations.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives collaborated with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office on this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting.
