Columbia man going to prison for over 20 years after Lexington County home invasion
A Columbia man was sentenced to nearly 22 years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple federal charges stemming from a home invasion in Lexington County, the U.S. Attorney’s office said Wednesday.
Brandon Thompson, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy said in a news release.
On Dec. 30, 2017, Thompson and Quintrell Morris targeted a home near the Irmo area in Columbia because they wanted to rob the residents of proceeds from various businesses they owned, according to the release.
Thompson and Morris were armed when they entered the home that was occupied by a woman and her three children, the U.S. Attorney said. They forced the woman to open a safe and give them the money inside before she was tied up, according to the release.
One of the kids was able to call 911, and when deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to the home, they saw an open door, went inside, and encountered the armed men, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
A deputy fired multiple shots, but no one was hit by gunfire, the sheriff’s department said. The shooting was investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, but information on whether SLED determined the officer was justified in firing their gun was not available.
Some of the residents were hurt during the incident, though the injuries were not life-threatening, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Capt. Adam Myrick previously said.
Deputies took Thompson and Morris into custody and seized a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun from Thompson and a loaded Bushmaster AR-15 .223 caliber assault rifle from Morris, according to the release. A ballistic vest was also seized from Thompson’s vehicle, which was located nearby, the U.S. Attorney said.
Thompson was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon prior convictions in South Carolina for armed robbery, assault with intent to kill, and carjacking, according to the release.
Nine months prior to the home invasion, Thompson had been released from state prison after serving a 14-year sentence, the U.S. Attorney said.
“Home invasions will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the highest extent of the law,” McCoy said on Twitter. “Incredible courage of the young child in this case who called 911 while his mother was tied up during this robbery.”
After pleading guilty in federal court, Thompson was sentenced to 262 months in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. There is no parole in the federal system.
Morris previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 272 months in prison, with a five-year term of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney said.
In addition to the sheriff’s department and SLED, the home invasion was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to the release. Assistant United States Attorney Stacey D. Haynes of the Columbia office handled the prosecution.
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This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 1:25 PM.
