Terrance Demetrius Bass Sentenced to Over Six Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Methamphetamine Possession

Strategic Insights -

Terrance Demetrius Bass, 34, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 80 months imprisonment, followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision, after being found guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. On December 16, 2022, Columbia Police Department officers approached Bass in a vehicle, where they found a bag containing 295 pills of methamphetamine, 91 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, a firearm in the glove compartment, and a scale in the center console.

Key Takeaways:

  • Terrance Demetrius Bass was sentenced to 80 months imprisonment and a four-year term of court-ordered supervision for felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
  • Bass had prior convictions for conspiracy to commit burglary and armed robbery, assault and battery, and domestic violence, which prevent him from possessing a firearm under federal law.
  • The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program launched by the department on May 26, 2021, to reduce violent crime and gun violence in communities.
  • The program is based on four core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
  • The case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
  • Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.

Statistics:

  • 80 months: The length of Bass's imprisonment sentence.
  • 4 years: The length of Bass's court-ordered supervision term following his imprisonment.
  • 295: The number of pills containing methamphetamine found in the vehicle.
  • 91 grams: The weight of marijuana found in the vehicle, packaged for distribution.
  • 1 firearm: The number of firearms found in the vehicle.
  • 1 scale: The number of scales found in the center console of the vehicle.
  • May 26, 2021: The date the PSN program was launched by the department.

Sources:

  • United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina
  • City of Columbia Police Department
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
  • Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)