I guarantee you there are thousands of people who have felonies on their record in this state for the same thing and the same scenario.
That's because all 4 men that were sitting in the vehicle were guilty of something. What the DA ends up legally making of it is another matter. I don't know if you can make the felony charge stick with a good defense lawyer. Maybe something else some of those 1000's of people you mentioned didn't alway have.
They usually charge the person that was sitting in the seat the gun was under. I personally know someone that happened to.
Not to complicate but they never charged Cam with theft of the handgun. I assume there was no evidence to that claim. Hootie had a legal gun and the rest is a mystery.