Tah’Kel Ar’Key Wilson of Columbia will serve 192 months in federal prison for an armed robbery committed during a federal firearms and narcotics investigation. U.S. District Judge Sherri Lydon handed down the 16-year sentence, which will be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. Because it is a federal sentence, Wilson is not eligible for parole.
The incident unfolded on August 9, 2024. Federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were using a confidential informant to set up a purchase of a firearm and cocaine from a targeted individual.
When the informant arrived at the agreed-upon meeting spot, Wilson approached the vehicle, introduced himself, and told the informant to drive to a more secluded area to pick up additional items.
Once they reached the secluded location, Wilson pulled a firearm equipped with a Glock switch—a conversion device that turns a handgun into a fully automatic machine gun—from his waistband.
He pointed the weapon at the victim and threatened to “switch” the informant if he or she did not comply with his demands. Wilson then stole roughly $3,400 in documented government funds and two cell phones before running away on foot.
The entire interaction was captured on audio and video recordings. ATF agents, who were conducting surveillance just 50 yards away, immediately responded to the scene. They spotted Wilson fleeing toward a wooded area. A short time later, agents found Wilson hiding inside a backyard shed and arrested him. Investigators recovered the stolen $3,400, both cell phones, and the loaded firearm with the machine-gun conversion device.
At the time of the offense, Wilson was out on a state bond for a murder charge and was actively wearing a GPS monitoring device.
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