James Robert Peterson, a 38-year-old resident of Prosperity, South Carolina, has been sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison. This follows his guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the investigation, on June 11, 2024, Peterson was found with a firearm while law enforcement attempted to arrest him on a felony state warrant. Due to prior convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. During the incident, Peterson used the gun to fatally shoot K9 Officer Coba from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Peterson to 150 months in prison followed by court-ordered supervision. The federal system does not allow parole. Earlier this year, Peterson received a state prison sentence of 33 years for charges including first-degree burglary, attempted murder, cruelty to a police dog, and resisting arrest with a deadly weapon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation along with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is handling the prosecution.
