Durham Bloods Gang Member Gets 8 Years for Firearm Possession on Supervision

GREENSBORO – A grim reminder of the streets’ unforgiving nature: William Lovell Harper, a 26-year-old member of the Bloods gang, was today sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for being caught with a firearm on Durham’s Hillsborough Road. Harper, who had been on post-release supervision, faced three active warrants when he was apprehended on September 4, 2024.

According to court records, the loaded handgun recovered from Harper’s possession was a stark reminder of his dangerous past. The man already had a history of serious offenses, including Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon in Beaufort County in 2017, as well as Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill in Craven County in 2018.

Harper’s latest transgression occurred on March 28, 2024, when he was convicted of Robbery of a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. This conviction led to a sentence of 11 to 146 months, with 60 months running consecutively to today’s federal sentence. The case, which saw Harper pleading guilty on April 10, 2025, was investigated by the Durham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett announced the sentence for Harper, who admitted his affiliation with the Bloods in 2023. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Iverson handled the prosecution, while the Durham County District Attorney’s Office lent valuable assistance.

This is a somber addition to the grim tally of Durham’s violent crime statistics, as the community continues to grapple with the repercussions of gang activity and illegal firearm possession.

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