Sumter man sentenced to 57 months for firearm charge

A Sumter man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition after he was arrested in 2017 for presenting a handgun during a domestic violence incident.

In federal court, Senior United States District Judge Margaret B. Seymour sentenced Lorenzo Keith Goins, 27, to more than four years in prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision after the conviction.

There is no parole in the federal system, states a release from the United States Attorney's Office of the District of South Carolina.

Evidence presented during Goins' guilty plea and sentencing hearing established that on Oct. 20, 2017, the victim's 19-year-old son called 911 and told dispatch the defendant was threatening his mother with a handgun.

Sumter police officers responded and saw that Goins had a .45-caliber Springfield Armory handgun and more than 20 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition, states the release.

Witnesses told officers that Goins grabbed the female victim by the throat and threw her up against her car.

The victim's son then attempted to engage Goins who displayed the firearm in his waistband and told the teen, "You lucky I don't pull it out on you."

During the sentencing hearing, the transporting officer's in-car video captured Goins becoming visibly irate and making numerous threats to hurt the officer and his colleagues.

Federal law prohibits Goins from possessing a firearm or ammunition based on his criminal record which includes convictions for grand larceny, possession of crack cocaine, possession of marijuana and receiving stolen goods.

After his arrest last year, Goins reportedly made contact with the victim several times over the phone and attempted to get her to withdraw her statements to law enforcement about the assault.

The court sentenced Goins to three years of supervised release with a special condition that he receive anger management treatment.

According to the release, this sentence was enhanced for Goins' possession and use of a firearm in relation to a domestic violence incident.

The case was investigated by Sumter Police Department and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant United States Attorney JD Rowell of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.