Detectives arrested two men in Sumter Thursday in connection to a July 4 burglary during which nearly 40 handguns were stolen from a Gilbert sporting goods store.
Tyrone Jerome Fleming (above left), 19, and Ekelo Simon, 20, both of Sumter, broke into JC’s Outdoors Tuesday morning and stole more than $10,000 worth of handguns, according to arrest warrants. Investigators said Fleming and Simon visited the store the day before the burglary.
“We received a helpful tip from the community that led us to these individuals in Sumter County,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “We’ve recovered some of the guns and the Columbia field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sumter Police Department and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office are assisting us as we continue our work on this case.”
Koon said Lexington County deputies and ATF agents are diligently searching for the remainder of the missing guns.
Fleming is charged with grand larceny, second-degree burglary and criminal conspiracy, according to Koon. He’s being held in the Lexington County Detention Center while he awaits a bond hearing.
Simon is being held in the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center on one count of obstruction of justice. He’ll be transferred to Lexington County and formally charged with grand larceny, second-degree burglary and criminal conspiracy after a judge sets bond on the obstruction of justice charge.
Anyone with information about the missing guns should call Crimestoppers at 888-Crime-SC.