A Rock Hill man, Jordan Thomas Ligon, was convicted in absentia and sentenced to five years in prison for illegal gun possession and methamphetamine after a quick jury deliberation in York County court. This case highlights tensions between Second Amendment claims and state laws restricting felons, amid your interest in South Carolina law enforcement news.
Case Details
Ligon, 43, skipped his three-day trial despite notice but was arrested via bench warrant and present for Thursday’s sentencing by Judge Eugene Griffith: four years for the prohibited weapon (due to a prior 2000s hit-and-run death conviction) plus one year for meth found during a June 2025 traffic stop. His lawyer, Caitlyn Caldwell, noted he waived presence but argued the old conviction shouldn’t bar him; Ligon himself cited Second Amendment rights, claiming no ongoing danger.
Traffic Stop Incident
As a passenger, Ligon grew verbally abusive toward Rock Hill officer Quyen Kpa, reaching for a holstered gun—bodycam footage showed the escalation, with Kpa praised by all parties (prosecutor Matthew Shelton, defense, and judge) for restraint and de-escalation. A K-9 search then uncovered under a gram of meth; Ligon sought a supervisor, but his language inflamed tensions per court discussion.
Sentencing Rationale
Griffith upheld South Carolina statutes barring certain prior offenders from firearms, rejecting Ligon’s defense. Shelton called the five-year term fitting; Caldwell portrayed Ligon as non-threatening beyond this incident, though no further comment was given post-court. This underscores officer training impacts in high-stakes stops.
