Curtis Hill, III, 36, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on three different occasions, Hill sold methamphetamine to confidential sources. On one of these occasions, Hill was in possession of firearms. In a separate incident, following these drug buys, Hill ran from officers following a traffic stop, where he tossed methamphetamine during the chase. These drugs were ultimately recovered by law enforcement and a firearm was found in his vehicle.

This case was investigated by the West Columbia Police Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, . Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.

At the time of these offenses, Hill was on federal supervised release. Hill has previous convictions for assault and battery, common law robbery, assault battery of a high and aggravated nature, and a federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Hill to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Lydon further sentenced him to 24 months imprisonment for violation of his supervised release, which is to run concurrent with his 15-year sentence.