A Charleston man with several felony convictions admitted in federal court today that he illegally had a gun after a shooting at a downtown bar.
Dereck Skylar Brown, 33, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a news release from Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Casto's office.
Brown was detained by Charleston police after a shooting at the Monkey Barrel on Leon Sullivan Way in the early morning hours of July 4, 2015.
According to the release, Brown appeared to be concealing something as he left the bar, and police told him to stop, which he didn't do until he'd briefly leaned into an empty vehicle. Police found a Colt .380 semiautomatic pistol with Brown's fingerprint on the magazine.
Police say Brown is not the person who shot and wounded three people inside the bar.
Brown's previous convictions include armed robbery, attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and malicious wounding, according to the release. In 2009, Brown shot a man in the face, leaving him blind in one eye and with bullets in his brain.
Brown faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 13. He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr.