RALEIGH, N.C. – Herman Felton, 52, of Wendell, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for possessing a stolen firearm. Felton pled guilty to a single-count criminal information on December 1, 2021.
According to court records and statements made during hearings, on January 14, 2019, an Elizabeth City Police Department detective interviewed Felton at the police department regarding an ongoing homicide investigation. Felton denied being involved. He admitted to having a gun but said it was not the one from the shooting and offered to bring it in to be checked. Felton, who as a felon could not lawfully possess a firearm, returned the same afternoon with a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver.
Felton’s criminal record spans four decades and includes over three dozen misdemeanor and felony convictions. His 12 felony convictions include habitual assault, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, and a prior federal conviction for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Elizabeth City Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-0006-D.