COLUMBIA BLOODS MEMBER PLEADS GUILTY TO FIREARM AND DRUG CHARGES

Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that TRAVIS SANTEL DWYER, a/k/a "Jap," age 29, of Columbia, South Carolina pled guilty today in federal court. DWYER plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) and Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. of Columbia accepted the plea and will impose his sentence after he 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 October 6, 2011, officers with the Columbia Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence on River Drive in Columbia. Inside the residence, officers found DWYER, who lived at the residence, and two other individuals. Officers also recovered a quantity of crack cocaine, a small amount of marijuana and a loaded Taurus .40 caliber firearm.

DWYER, an admitted Bloods gang member, is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and/or ammunition based upon his prior state convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine (2 counts) and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine 2nd offense.

Mr. Nettles stated that DWYER faces a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000 on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge and a maximum of thirty (30) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $2,000,000 on the drug charge.

The case was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and the ATF, and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the case.