CHARLESTON, SC – Joshua Nathaniel Strader, 41, from Charleston, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison following his guilty plea to charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Court evidence revealed that Strader was released from federal prison in November 2019 after a conviction related to firearms and controlled substances. Within five months, on April 25, 2020, during a stolen vehicle investigation, North Charleston Police Department officers attempted to stop Strader’s vehicle. The attempt led to a high-speed chase through residential areas, culminating in Strader crashing into another vehicle, losing control of his own, and being arrested after a brief foot chase. At the time of arrest, officers discovered a .9mm pistol, 76.9 grams of crack cocaine, and 13 grams of powder cocaine on Strader. Having been under federal supervision at the time and with a history of multiple felony convictions, Strader was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Strader to 71 months in prison for the April 2020 charges and an additional 36 months for violating federal supervised release, totaling 107 months. The sentences are to be served consecutively, followed by four years of supervised release.