Richland County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Arthur Ryans, Jr., 42, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed the Richland County Sheriff's Department arrested Ryans at a local motel for his involvement in a shooting incident.

During the arrest, Springdale Police officers acquired a search warrant for the motel room where Ryans was staying at the time of his arrest. During a search of the room, officers located a loaded 9mm pistol in a gym bad. Officers also located multiple plastic baggies containing a purple powder, plastic baggies containing a crystal substance, a digital scale, and multiple plastic baggies consistent with narcotics packaging material. Through ballistics testing, investigators confirmed that the firearm was used in the prior shooting.

Ryans was prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon a prior conviction for assault with intent to kill.

United States District Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Ryans to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Richland County Sheriff's Department, and Springdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.

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