Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Leroy Antonio Belin, 31, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 6, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Columbia Police Department discovered Belin in possession of a loaded firearm, ammunition, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and oxycodone. The firearm in Belin's possession was reported stolen from Charlotte, North Carolina. As a result of prior felony convictions, Belin was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Belin has previous convictions for attempted murder, discharging firearms into a dwelling, common law robbery, strong arm robbery, and two counts possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person convicted of a violent felony.

United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Belin to 100 months' imprisonment, to 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 (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.

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