David Ellis, Federal Firearm Offenses, North Carolina 2013

Raleigh, NC – In a shocking turn of events, David Ellis, 53, of Dunn, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 235 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. This harsh sentence comes as a result of Ellis’ guilty plea to two federal charges: Possession of a Stolen Firearm on February 11, 2012, in violation of Title 18, United States Code 922(j) and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm on February 11, 2012, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871.

According to the investigation, on February 11, 2012, Ellis’ girlfriend and her mother were attempting to flee their house after Ellis assaulted his girlfriend by hitting her in the face. When her mother attempted to intervene, Ellis assaulted her by hitting her in the face, knocking her to the ground, and kicking her in the chest. The mother was able to flee the house and call emergency services and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, who responded to the scene.

Ellis pointed a stolen loaded sawed-off shotgun at his girlfriend, making her come back into the residence before the girlfriend could get to safety. During a standoff with police, Ellis terrorized his girlfriend; he threatened to shoot her and gave her a bullet to further intimidate her. The standoff ended when Ellis and his girlfriend emerged from the home after the Harnett County SRT team was called out.

Prior to the February incident, assault and related charges were taken out against Ellis in October 2011, in Harnett County.

Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III handed down the sentence in federal court today. This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified ‘team effort’ against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

The investigation was conducted by the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney, S. Katherine Burnette, prosecuted the case.

Ellis’ 235-month sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of committing federal firearm offenses. As the investigation revealed, Ellis’ violent behavior not only put his girlfriend in harm’s way but also posed a threat to law enforcement during the standoff.

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