Salem Man sentenced on Firearms Charge

United States Attorney Beth Drake announces that 31-year-old Justin David Crenshaw of Salem was sentenced to the statutory maximum of ten years in federal prison earlier this week on charges stemming from his possession and discharge of a firearm last fall at a residence in Oconee County. United States District Court Judge Bruce H. Hendricks, who issued the sentence, also revoked Crenshaw’s term of supervised release, adding an additional two years to be served consecutively to the ten-year sentence, effectively bringing the sentence to a term of twelve years. Crenshaw was previously indicted on Dec. 13, 2016, by a federal grand jury for felon in possession of ammunition. Prior to his indictment, Crenshaw, whose conduct at the time of the offense was being supervised by United States Probation following his summertime release from the Bureau of Prisons, was arrested on federal arrest warrants in early December for the offense and has remained in custody, detained without bond, since that date. The facts presented by the government at the guilty plea hearing established that on Oct. 25, 2016, Crenshaw and a colleague entered a residence in Oconee County and initiated a physical assault on a male located in the residence. The male ran outside the house followed by Crenshaw who then fired two rounds during the altercation. Deputies recovered two 9mm ammunition casings from the site of the incident. When interviewed, Crenshaw admitted firing the shots. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with the assistance and cooperation of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick.