Orangeburg Man Sentenced To 7 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Charges

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Chad Lavell Williams, Jr., 30, of Orangeburg, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and dipentylone.

On Feb. 25, 2023, officers with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle with a defective taillight. Williams provided a fake name when asked for identification. Officers subsequently deployed a drug detection dog in the vicinity of the car and after a positive K9 alert, searched the vehicle. The search resulted in the recovery of a Glock 22 pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, and an extended magazine. Machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as "Glock Switches," allow Glock pistols to function as fully automatic machineguns.

The Glock was found in a bookbag along with Williams' South Carolina ID, ammunition, brass knuckles, and plastic bags of methamphetamine and dipentylone intended for distribution. Post-Miranda, Williams admitted the gun and drugs belonged to him.

Federal law prohibits Williams from possessing firearms and ammunition based on his prior convictions for strong arm robbery, grand larceny, burglary 3^rd degree, and burglary 2^nd degree. he also has a pending charge for burglary 1^st degree.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Williams to 84 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was prosecuted as 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 (ATF) and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana N. Gore is prosecuting the case.

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