Felon heading back to prison after gun conviction

A convicted felon with a long criminal history that includes using a blue light to rob a motorist is heading back to prison after being convicted today of unlawfully carrying a gun.

Benjamin Devon Goss, 28, of North Charleston was convicted of the gun violation after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Charleston, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles.

A Charleston police officer spotted Goss walking along Johnson Street with a HiPoint .380 tucked into his waistband Oct. 4, 2010, according to testimony. Goss dropped the gun and ran but was later apprehended and the gun recovered and linked to him.

He faces up to 10 years in prison, with a mandatory 15-year minimum sentence if he is found at sentencing to have three prior convictions for either violent felonies or serious drug offenses.

Goss’ long history of arrests include a 2003 incident where police said he another man put a flashing blue light in their car to pull over a motorist and rob him. Police said Goss led them on a chase after they spotted him with the blue light flashing and wrecked the car.

He was sent to five years in prison in July 2004 in that and other incidents for charges that included armed robbery, unlawful carrying of a weapon and assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest, according to his 13-page SLED criminal background check.

Goss didn’t serve the full sentence and was arrested again in September 2005. He was charged with discharging a firearm into a dwelling and assault and battery with intent to kill.

Over the next few years, he racked up various felony drug charges, as well as a charge of assault and battery with intent to kill, and was arrested in April for a probation violation.

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or twitter.com/dmunday.