Lexington man sentenced on gun charges

A Lexington man has plead guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Demarcus Deon Booker, 34, was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison.

The charges were for a June 12, 2018 gas station shooting in West Columbia.

Officers were able to determine that Booker and occupants of another vehicle exchanged gunfire, and Booker shot out of the passenger window of the silver Chevrolet Cruz.

Booker had at least one firearm as he fled the scene, which officers were able to recover.

Booker is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior convictions, including a 2006 assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Booker to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision.

There is no parole in the federal system.

Man arrested for Swansea shooting

Lexington County deputies arrested 1 of 2 men wanted for a Swansea bar shooting earlier this month, the Sheriff’s Department announced via Twitter Monday afternoon.

Jamel Dash, 33, is charged with 5 counts of attempted murder.

A 2nd suspect remains at large.

Share tips anonymously with @MidlandsCrime at 888-274-6372.

Columbia teen drowns in Congaree

A 17-year-old died July 22 after disappearing under the waters of the Congaree River.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the suspected drowning victim as Javion Cannon, of Columbia.

Cannon was recovered from the water around 9 pm and pronounced deceased on scene.

Cannon entered the water between the Cayce Boat Landing and the Blossom Street Bridge at approximately 5:30 pm. He went under the water and did not resurface, prompting a search that began just before 6 pm.

The incident is under investigation by the Cayce Department of Public Safety.

UPS employees arrested in gun theft ring

Lexington County deputies arrested 5 UPS employees last week in connection with guns stolen from the shipping company’s hub in West Columbia.

Byron Burke, 19, Jalen Green, 19, Dishon Kinney, 18, Kenyon Peters, 18, and Tre’von Williams, 19, are charged with breach of trust, according to arrest warrants.

Kinney and Peters are also charged with criminal conspiracy.

The 5 men sold the guns or gave them away while on company time, according to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon.

Investigators arrested them at the UPS hub July 16. They have been released from the Lexington County Detention Center after meeting conditions of their bond.