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A South Carolina man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week in connection with the shooting of S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) K9 agent earlier this year.
The shooting of K9 Coba took place on June 11, 2024 as authorities attempted to arrest 37-year-old James Robert Peterson aka “Peezy” of Prosperity, S.C.
Newberry County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) deputies and SLED agents were attempting to serve a felony warrant on Peterson at the time of the shooting.
“The suspect was found hiding inside the home of a family member and emerged,” NCSO deputies noted at the time. “A law enforcement K9 confronted the suspect inside the house, along with a deputy and SLED Agents.”
Peterson opened fire on officers, killing K9 Coba – a four-year-old Belgian Malinois mix.
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This week, Peterson was indicted on a federal weapons charge related to the shooting.
Nine state charges are currently pending in Newberry County related to the same arrest. They include charges for burglary, breaking the peace, animal cruelty, resisting arrest and multiple weapons charges. Additionally, Peterson was charged with financial transaction card theft in September 2024.
Court records show Peterson has a criminal record dating back many years. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary and one charge for housebreaking. At that time, Peterson received a suspended sentence of ten years. He served four years of probation with a requirement to complete a sober living program. As recently as October 2023, Peterson was charged with housebreaking, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 72 days in jail for those offenses.
Peterson has been in custody since his arrest on June 21, 2024. He was recently transferred to the Spartanburg Detention Center on December 12, 2024 where he is considered a federal prisoner.
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Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison following this week’s indictment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD). Assistant U.S. attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Peterson is considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as he may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges filed against him.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.
Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.
Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
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2 comments
OK, this miscreant deserves harsh punishment. That said, why is he facing FEDERAL and not STATE charges? Surely we have a law on the books in SC that makes it a crime to injure or kill a police service dog. The absence of an explanation is odd for FITS, a site that ostensibly champions the dividing lines between federal and state powers and voicing support for a reduced federal role in the states for those matters the states are more than capable of handling. Maybe an editor’s post column note is in order…..
Reading comprehension is important, my dude:
“Nine state charges are currently pending in Newberry County related to the same arrest. They include charges for burglary, breaking the peace, animal cruelty, resisting arrest and multiple weapons charges.”