A federal jury convicted a Greenville man of illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony and four counts of distributing methamphetamine on Tuesday.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a two-day trial, 51-year-old Clarence Lamar Buck distributed methamphetamine on four separate occasions out of the Express Inn in Greenville in January of 2021.
Approximately a year later, the United States Marshals Service, along with the Greenville Police Department, served an arrest warrant on Buck for bond violations.
During a search of Buck’s room, officers found a Ruger .22 caliber handgun. Records reflect that at the time Buck had multiple prior felony convictions at the time the gun was discovered, including a conviction for the sale of a controlled substance.
“The defendant is a repeat felon who injected poison into his community in the form of methamphetamine,” U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner stated. “The Greenville Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service are to be commended for their hard work on this case, and we are proud to stand with them to stem the flow of illegal narcotics and to get firearms out of the hands of criminals.”
The Greenville Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
“Making sure that those who break the law are apprehended, and convicted, is our priority,” Greenville Police Chief Marcus Turner said. “We appreciate the partnership that we have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and look forward to working together to ensure the safety of our community.”
