Chi-Ali Bunn Sentenced 96 Months for High-Speed Chase with Child, Firearm Possession

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Chi-Ali Bunn, a 29-year-old Rocky Mount man, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possessing a short-barreled rifle that wasn’t marked with a serial number. Bunn pled guilty to the charge on September 26, 2023.

Bunn’s crime was not just any ordinary possession charge – it was committed while fleeing police in a high-speed chase that exceeded 111 miles per hour. The chase involved guns, drugs, and a child in the car, making it a particularly disturbing case. According to U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, ‘A short-barreled rifle and high-capacity drum magazine have no place around a child, especially in a car traveling at speeds over a hundred miles an hour.’

The high-speed chase began in January 2023 when Bunn approached a Nash County Sheriff’s Office license check station. Bunn, a felon, turned around to avoid the station and deputies pursued him. Bunn reached speeds of up to 111 miles per hour, running multiple stop signs, traveling on the wrong side of the road, and narrowly avoiding colliding with other motorists. The pursuit continued into Zebulon where deputies with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office successfully deployed stop sticks, which flattened two tires of the suspect’s vehicle.

During the chase, law enforcement was unaware that Bunn’s young child and a small puppy were in the car. After the car was stopped, deputies searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9mm handgun capable of accepting a large capacity magazine; a .223 caliber rifle with a barrel length of 7.5 inches; a loaded drum magazine; a pill bottle containing eight Oxycodone pills; a cut straw containing cocaine residue; and a digital scale.

U.S. Attorney Michael Easley made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Nash and Wake County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuting the case. The collaboration between local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in the successful prosecution of Bunn.

Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone praised the partnership, stating, ‘We appreciate the collaboration and partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and dedicated law enforcement. Dedicated law enforcement and prosecutors make safe communities.’

The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of high-speed chases and the importance of keeping firearms out of the wrong hands. Bunn’s sentence is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement and prosecutors in keeping communities safe.

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. 5:23-cr-00127-BO-RJ.

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