A 41-year-old man, Jason Paul Wells, was arrested at a Summerville Walmart after deputies discovered he was carrying a loaded handgun despite having a previous felony conviction, according to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest came after deputies responded to Walmart at 13427 Highway 27 to investigate reports of possible shoplifting involving a man and a woman.
According to the incident report, deputies had been called to the store earlier that afternoon regarding the same individuals. Store employees told authorities the pair was suspected of shoplifting and had reportedly been involved in previous incidents.
When deputies returned to the store around 5:39 p.m., they located the two near the self-checkout area and escorted them to the loss prevention office to speak with store personnel.
Deputies had received information that Wells might be armed and asked him whether he had a weapon. Wells reportedly acknowledged carrying a firearm and turned over a silver-and-black semiautomatic handgun concealed in a holster inside his waistband.
During questioning, Wells reportedly admitted to taking several items from the store earlier that day. He retrieved the merchandise from his vehicle and returned it to Walmart employees, according to the report.
Wells also reportedly told deputies that he was a convicted felon and carried the gun for protection.
A criminal history check confirmed that Wells had a prior felony conviction in Gordon County for possession of methamphetamine. He had been sentenced to five years of probation, and his record also included previous probation violations and shoplifting charges, according to authorities.
The firearm recovered by deputies was identified as a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol containing seven rounds of ammunition. It was collected as evidence.
Wells was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The sheriff’s office said allegations involving earlier shoplifting incidents would be referred for further investigation.
