Description: Charleston, South Carolina criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with impersonating a federal law enforcement officer and possessing a weapon after a domestic violence conviction.

Jeremy Hughes, age 39, of Goose Creek, South Carolina, told witnesses his name was Brian Williams and falsely claimed he was with the U.S. Marshals searching for a fugitive. Hughes carried a pistol and shotgun and wore tactical clothing with a “Police U.S. Marshals” shirt. Investigators arrested Hughes on Dec. 1, 2021. During the arrest, Hughes unlawfully possessed multiple firearms and ammunition. During a search warrant at his residence, investigators located several additional firearms and ammunition. Hughes is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to a previous domestic violence conviction.

United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Hughes to four years imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was investigated by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

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