Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Daisean Montez Skeeters, a 31-year-old resident of Columbia, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. The sentence was imposed after he was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, violating both federal criminal law and the terms of his supervised release from a previous conviction.
The investigation began on July 17, 2024, when officers from the Columbia Police Department responded to a domestic violence call at Skeeters' residence. Upon arrival, they received information suggesting the presence of firearms in the home. Given Skeeters' status on federal supervised release for an earlier weapons conviction, his U.S. Probation Officer was also informed about the situation. A search warrant led to the discovery of two firearms at the residence.
Subsequent DNA testing confirmed that there was an extremely high probability that Skeeters’ DNA was present on one of these firearms. Consequently, he pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing this firearm as a convicted felon.
At the time of this offense, Skeeters was already under federal supervision following a prior conviction for similar charges. This new offense constituted another violation of his supervised release terms. Additionally, it was noted that Skeeters held a high-ranking position within a violent street gang in Columbia.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Skeeters to 57 months in prison. This sentence includes a 24-month revocation of his supervised release and an additional consecutive term of 33 months for the new charge. After serving his sentence, Skeeters will be subject to three years of court-ordered supervision. It is important to note that there is no parole option available in the federal system.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering cooperation between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott Daniels and Matthew Sanford are handling its prosecution.
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