Columbia man pleads guilty to selling guns and drugs to undercover ATF agents

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– According to the Department of Justice, a Columbia man pleaded guilty to five counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine.

In early 2020, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives say they conducted an investigation into firearms in the Columbia area. In February 2020, authorities say 35-year-old Derrall Lanard Reed, also known as “Rico,” sold five handguns, along with cocaine and crack cocaine, during five transactions to undercover ATF agents. Investigators say some of the firearms sold were loaded.

On March 12, 2020, authorities say they arrested Reed when he showed up to sell another firearm to an undercover agent.

According to investigators, three of the six firearms seized were reported stolen out of homes or vehicles. Two of the them were stolen out of Richland County and the third came from North Carolina, according to authorities. Additionally, officials say two firearms, including one found in Reed’s home, are preliminarily linked through ballistics to ShotSpotter incidents and shootings in July 2019, November 2019, December 2019 and March 2020.

Authorities say Reed faces up to 10 years in prison for the firearm charges and 30 years for the drug charges.