A Garysburg man was sentenced last week to 30 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Garysburg police Chief Marcelle Goffington said the sentence handed to Jamison Jelonte Lee by District Judge James C. Dever III in Raleigh was the result of a “job well done by Officer M.D Walton.”
Goffington said in a statement on June 19 of last year Walton responded to Lucky Mike’s Casino after a report of a disturbance and property damage.
Walton found probable cause to detain Lee and, after a struggle, took him into custody.
A subsequent search revealed Lee had a handgun and what was described as a user amount of powdered cocaine.
Walton charged Lee with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of cocaine, resisting a public officer and damage to personal property.
Captain C.L. Collier and Deputy M.T. Brooks of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
The case was accepted by the federal court system and a grand jury indicted Lee on November 5, 2019.
The indictment, which is contained in online federal court records, charged that on or about June 19, 2019, Lee had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowingly possessed a firearm, which was used in and affecting commerce.
Goffington and Deputy R.T. Horton took Lee into custody without trouble on November 7, 2019 at the Northampton County Courthouse and turned him over to the custody of the United States Marshals Service in Greenville.
According to court records, United States Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Swank at his detention hearing determined there was no condition or combination of conditions that would assure the safety of the community should he be released before court proceedings.
She also ruled there was no evidence that would reasonably assure his appearance in court should he be released.
She based this on his prior criminal history, the lack of a suitable release plan and evidence of flight. She also factored in a prior instance of failure to appear in court, the nature and circumstances of the offense and pending unrelated charges or outstanding warrants.
At sentencing last week Lee was not only given the 30-month sentence but ordered to three years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence.
He was given a special assessment of $100 and ordered to intensive substance abuse treatment and vocational and education opportunities at Federal Correctional Institution — Petersburg, Virginia — where he will serve his sentence.
