Man sentenced to over eight years in prison for possession of a firearm and ammo by a felon
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A 19-year-old man from Wilmington was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Demirion Keziah Barnett pled guilty to the charge on June 5 and is a validated member of the United Blood Nation street gang, according to U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Police responded to a home on Metting Street after a ShotSpotter alert and a report that someone had a gunshot wound to the head on Jan. 28.
“When officers arrived on scene they saw the defendant, Demirion Barnett, walking away from a vehicle parked in the parking lot before making contact with the occupants of the home involved in the shooting. Officers saw the numerous bullet holes in the walls and windows of the residence, indicative of someone firing into the home. During the investigation officers located approximately 437 grams of marijuana and a 9mm handgun in a backpack inside the residence. Officers also looked under the vehicle the defendant was observed walking away from and found a .223/556 AR-style “ghost” gun rifle with a 60-round drum magazine and a stolen 9mm handgun with a 24-round magazine and two obliterated serial numbers wrapped inside a blanket,” an announcement from Michael Easley states.
He was detained by law enforcement, and Easley says he allegedly told investigators he was in the home when the shooting happened and put the guns in a blanket under a vehicle to hide them from law enforcement. The announcement says that another firearm was located nearby the next day after the call, including a 9mm semi-automatic “ghost” gun with a 31-round magazine.
Barnett was a convicted felon at the time on state probation for felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance.
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