North Charleston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Weapon Violation

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Da’Shawn Marquis Richards, 25, of North Charleston, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Richards was wanted for murder and attempted murder Charleston County in November 2021. During his arrest on those charges, law enforcement officials found a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in his vehicle. Later, on March 22, 2023, during another encounter with law enforcement while out on bond for the murder and attempted murder charges, officers searched his car again and located another loaded handgun.

United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Richards to 46 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. This was the maximum sentence based on the applicable sentencing guideline range.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI Columbia Field Office, and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.

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