Charleston Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Weapon Violation

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Elisha Shaleel Patterson, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Patterson gathered with a large group of individuals to gamble on Allway Street in downtown Charleston on April 24, 2022. Investigators were paying close attention to the area after a shooting occurred there the previous day. Investigators observed Patterson remove a firearm from his pants and place it in a vehicle. Once investigators arrived, they located the firearm, which was reported stolen, a digital scale, and marijuana. Patterson is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because of his previous felony conviction.

United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Patterson to 57 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision.

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 to make our 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 our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.