Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Social Media Drug Sale and Illegal Gun Possession

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Booker Henley, 30, of Columbia, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after being found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.

Evidence presented at trial showed that on March 10, 2023, a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Henley's vehicle in northeast Columbia. Henley fled from the deputy but crashed his vehicle moments later. Members of the public reported the crash and multiple RCSD deputies responded to the crash site believing the vehicle was the same vehicle that had escaped earlier. Henley ran from the crash before deputies arrived. The vehicle smelled of marijuana, and when deputies searched the vehicle, they found a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, a bag containing 252 grams of marijuana, and a bill of sale for another vehicle in Henley's name.

Prior to the crash, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), observed Henley's social media accounts where he posted pictures of himself and marijuana that he advertised for sale using the deceptive hashtag #notforsale. ATF obtained surveillance footage from the crash site which showed Henley running from the vehicle wearing unique clothing. Henley had previously posted pictures of himself wearing the same unique clothing on social media. Law enforcement also obtained a search warrant for his social media account which confirmed that he was using social media to advertise and sell drugs in the days before and after the crash. Notably, social media messages revealed that he had completed a drug sale in Columbia approximately 45 minutes before the chase with law enforcement. The search warrant revealed that he messaged someone four days after the crash admitting to wrecking his "skat" which is a term used to reference certain models of Dodge Chargers.

Lastly, Henley's DNA was found on both the firearm and the extended magazine. Henley has prior convictions for pointing and presenting a firearm at a person, breaking into a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen pistol, and failure to stop for a blue light.

United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Henley to a total 144 months imprisonment consisting of concurrent sentences of 84 months and 60 months for the felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana convictions followed by a consecutive sentence of 60 months for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense conviction. The sentence of incarceration will be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

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 and the Richland County Sheriff's Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.