BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – A Goose Creek man who led North Charleston police on a high-speed interstate chase before being arrested with two firearms has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
Thomas Lamont Ancrum, 37, was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing firearms as a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge David C. Norton imposed the sentence, which federal prosecutors said was the maximum recommended under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
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According to court records, the case stems from an Aug. 12, 2024, pursuit involving officers with the North Charleston Police Department.
Investigators said Ancrum fled from officers, reaching speeds exceeding 100 mph while weaving through interstate traffic. The chase ended after officers deployed stop sticks, puncturing the vehicle’s tires.
Authorities said Ancrum then abandoned the vehicle, dropped a backpack and attempted to flee on foot by running across the interstate. A police K-9 quickly apprehended him, bringing the pursuit to an end.
Inside the backpack, investigators recovered two firearms along with small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, according to federal prosecutors.
Because of a previous felony conviction, Ancrum was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He was later indicted in federal court in 2025 on one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
In addition to the 115-month prison sentence, Ancrum was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term. Federal sentences do not include the possibility of parole.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole Shannon prosecuted the case.
Federal officials said the prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to reduce violent crime through targeted prosecutions and partnerships.
