Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Gulfport, Miss. – A Charleston, South Carolina man pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

Kendrell O’Mars Sheppard, 31, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.  

According to court documents and information presented to the Court, on May 11, 2020, an officer with the Biloxi Police Department conducted a traffic stop on an F-150 pickup truck traveling eastbound on I-10 in Harrison County. Kendrell O’Mars Sheppard was a passenger in the truck.  During the stop, officers obtained consent to search the truck.  They discovered two Smith and Wesson firearms and approximately $7,000.00 in cash.  While interacting with Sheppard, officers noticed a bulge in one of Sheppard’s socks.  Sheppard admitted the bulge was cocaine.

Sheppard was taken into custody.  Post Miranda, he admitted that the guns belonged to him, that he was a felon, and that the cocaine belonged to him. 

Sheppard is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.  However, if he is determined to be an armed career criminal, he faces from 15 years to life imprisonment. 

The FBI and Biloxi Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.