Evergreen Reporter

Kenneth Archie, 44, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on June 14, 2021, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to an apartment complex on Old Manor Rd. in Columbia because a caller stated that Archie was trying to enter the front gate of the complex without permission. When deputies spoke to Archie at his front window, they could smell marijuana coming from his vehicle and searched his car for further drug evidence. Deputies found a backpack containing methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and a firearm. Archie admitted to possession of the drugs and the firearm.

Archie is prohibited from having a firearm due to prior convictions for armed robbery, domestic violence 2nd degree, and failure to stop for a blue light.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Archie to 70 months imprisonment, followed by a six-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 make 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 communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), and the Columbia Police Department (CPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.