Columbia man wanted for threatening to kill woman, her family found with guns, cops say
A Columbia man who was wanted for threatening to kill a woman and her family was arrested on multiple charges after he and two others were found with guns, the Lexington Police Department said.
Curtis Mario Joyeux, 32, was taken into custody Saturday night, police said in a Monday news release.
Joyeux and fellow Columbia residents Twavon Keandre Williams, 21, and Ladeera Satona Miller, 22, were arrested during a traffic stop after Joyeux left the apartment complex where the woman lives, according to the release.
After previously meeting with officers about threats she had received from Joyeux over the past week, the woman said she continued to receive menacing text messages, police said.
A warrant for unlawful communication was issued for Joyeux and officers were actively searching for him, according to the release.
There was no word on a motive for the threats.
At 6:50 p.m. Saturday, police said the woman called 911. She told the dispatcher that Joyeux, along with at least one other person, had been at her apartment knocking on the door several times before leaving the complex in a black Dodge Charger with dark tinted windows, according to the release.
Nearby officers said they saw the car on Sunset Boulevard make an improper turn and conducted a traffic stop, where they found Joyeux, Williams, and Miller.
Joyeux was arrested on the unlawful communication warrant, before officers found three loaded and unlawfully carried guns in addition to a small amount of marijuana during a search of the car, according to the release.
All three were arrested and taken to the Lexington County Detention Center, where Joyeux was also charged with stalking, unlawful carry of a firearm, and simple possession of marijuana, police said.
While at the jail, police said Joyeux continued to try to contact the woman by telephone and was issued a warrant for harassment. He has not been to court on that charge yet, but a $6,500 bond had been set on the other charges, along with a requirement for GPS ankle monitoring and no contact with the woman, according to the release.
As of Monday, Joyeux remained behind bars, jail records show.
Joyeux is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his past criminal record and this case will be forwarded to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for follow-up, police said.
Miller and Williams were both charged with unlawful carry of a firearm, while Williams also faces charges of driving under suspension and improper turn, according to the release. Miller and Williams were given personal recognizance bonds, police said.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
