Jacob Murrell Wilson, a 24-year-old resident of Charleston, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The court was presented with evidence that on November 10, 2023, officers from the Charleston Police Department encountered Wilson at a high-crime apartment complex. Recognizing him and aware of an active arrest warrant, officers attempted to approach Wilson, who then fled.
During the pursuit, officers saw Wilson reaching for a loaded pistol equipped with an extended magazine and an illegal machine gun conversion device. He stopped briefly to point the weapon at the officers before discarding it over a fence and continuing his escape.
Upon apprehension, authorities found Wilson in possession of crack cocaine, cocaine, marijuana, and promethazine. The discarded firearm was recovered nearby. Due to a prior felony conviction for attempted armed robbery, Wilson is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Wilson to 106 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Federal sentences do not include parole options.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, the department reinforced PSN’s strategy focusing on community trust, support for violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and outcome measurement.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is handling prosecution duties.
