FLORENCE—United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced that Quintin La Prix Davis of Latta, South Carolina, was convicted by a federal jury for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime after a two-day trial in Florence. The 12-person jury unanimously found Davis guilty of all charges after a short, 30-minute deliberation.
Evidence presented at trial showed that at approximately 3:43 a.m. on March 21, 2018, a deputy with the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office attempted to perform a traffic stop after noticing Davis erratically driving on Highway 301. Davis continued driving, however, then sped up and attempted to elude law enforcement by making multiple turns before pulling into a parking lot and trying to escape on foot. After a brief foot chase, Davis was detained and walked back to the patrol car.
During an initial pat down of Davis, law enforcement found three bags of opioids – including Fentanyl, the dangerous drug responsible for the recent deaths of musicians Prince and Tom Petty – and $509 in US currency. A search of Davis’s vehicle revealed a stolen Ruger, model SR40c, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, located within arm’s reach of the driver’s seat. The semi-automatic pistol was loaded to capacity with nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, including one in the chamber.
Federal law prohibits Davis from possessing a firearm and ammunition based on his numerous state felony convictions, including: assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, strong arm robbery, four counts of distribution of cocaine base (commonly referred to as “crack cocaine”), and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
Davis faces a possible sentence of 30 years to life in federal prison based on his prior criminal record. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided over the trial and will sentence Davis after receiving and reviewing a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florence County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001 that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Turning the tide of rising violent crime in America is a top priority for the Department of Justice, which has reinstituted PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Holloway and Everett McMillian of the Florence Office prosecuted the case.