A 41-year-old man was arrested at Walmart in Summerville after Chattooga County deputies discovered he was carrying a loaded handgun despite having a previous felony conviction.

According to a report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Walmart at 13427 Highway 27 on October 9, 2026, following complaints about possible shoplifting involving a man and woman.

Deputies had previously been called to the store that afternoon concerning the same individuals. Store personnel reported that the two were suspected of shoplifting and had been involved in previous incidents.

When deputies returned to the store around 5:39 PM, they located the individuals near the self-checkout area and escorted them to the store’s loss prevention office for questioning.

Because deputies had received information that the man might be armed, they asked whether he was carrying a weapon. The man, identified as **Jason Paul Wells, 41**, acknowledged having a firearm and surrendered a silver and black semiautomatic handgun that was concealed in a holster inside his waistband.

During the investigation, deputies learned that Wells had admitted to shoplifting several items earlier that day. He retrieved the merchandise from his vehicle and returned it to store personnel.

Wells reportedly told deputies he was a convicted felon and carried the handgun for personal protection.

A criminal history check confirmed that Wells had a previous felony conviction for possession of methamphetamine in Gordon County, where he had been sentenced to five years of probation. The report also noted previous probation violations and shoplifting charges.

The recovered handgun was identified as a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol containing seven rounds of ammunition. The weapon was collected as evidence.

Wells was arrested and charged with **Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon**. He was transported to the Chattooga County Jail without incident.

The Sheriff’s Office indicated that allegations involving previous shoplifting incidents would be referred to investigators for further review.