Date: 11-04-2015

Case Style: United States of America v. Wade Andrew Albright

Case Number: 3:15-cr-00088-MBS

Judge: Cameron McGowan Currie

Court: United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (Richland County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Stacey Denise Haynes

Defendant's Attorney: James P Rogers - FPD

Description: Columbia, SC - Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

Wade Andrew Albright, age 43, of Columbia, South Carolina pled guilty in federal court. Albright plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 924(e). Senior United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the plea and Senior United States District Court Judge Margaret B. Seymour will impose a sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on the early morning hours of November 29, 2013, officers with the Lexington County Narcotics Enforcement Team (“NET”) set up surveillance in order to arrest Albright on outstanding state warrants for distribution of narcotics. Officers observed Albright drive into the employee parking lot of the a local chicken processing plant in West Columbia, where he was employed at the time. As officers approached his truck, Albright got back into the truck and fled. Officers observed Albright drive across Highway 378/Sunset Boulevard and drive into a neighborhood. Shortly thereafter, officers observed Albright’s truck in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the area, the driver’s door was open and the truck was still running. Other officers then observed Albright along a wood line. After a brief chase, Albright was arrested. A search incident to arrest revealed numerous pill bottles containing individually bagged pills, cocaine, and marijuana both on Albright’s person and in a book bag he discarded while running. Officers also located a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver and additional rounds of ammunition on Albright. A check of the firearm revealed that it had previously been reported stolen in Richland County. Albright is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his prior state convictions in Fairfield, Richland, and Marlboro counties for burglary 2nd degree (3 separate convictions), strong arm robbery (3 separate convictions), and manslaughter.

Mr. Nettles stated that Albright faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000 on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge unless he is deemed an armed career criminal by the court based upon his extensive prior convictions and then he would face a mandatory minimum of 15 years imprisonment with a maximum of life.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Narcotics Enforcement Team and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases.

Outcome: Guilty

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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