Frederick Beverly Gets 87 Months for Felon Firearm Possession

Frederick Beverly, 41, of Lumberton, North Carolina, is headed to federal prison for 87 months after being caught with guns three separate times, despite being a convicted felon. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan, marks the end of a years-long crime spree defined by brazen disregard for the law and public safety.

Beverly pled guilty on January 29, 2019, to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon—a charge that barely scratches the surface of his criminal pattern. The primary arrest came on January 19, 2017, when a multi-agency task force including the U.S. Marshals Service, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and North Carolina State Highway Patrol tracked Beverly’s vehicle in Robeson County. Under the seat, they found a loaded Hi-Point .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.

That arrest didn’t slow him down. Authorities say Beverly was caught with firearms twice more—first during a Lumberton Police traffic stop on September 19, 2017, and again on March 16, 2018, when officers stopped a vehicle he was driving. Each time, a handgun was found in his possession. For a man legally barred from owning a weapon, Beverly treated gun possession like a routine accessory.

Federal prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh, argued for a stiff sentence, citing Beverly’s repeated violations and the danger he posed to the community. Judge Flanagan agreed, adding three years of supervised release to the 87-month prison term. The case was prosecuted under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a DOJ initiative targeting violent offenders and repeat gun criminals.

In Eastern North Carolina, PSN operates through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative, which assigns federal prosecutors to work directly with local law enforcement and district attorneys. The goal: dismantle cycles of gun violence by hitting habitual offenders like Beverly with federal charges and maximum penalties. This case is a textbook example of that strategy in action.

The investigation was led by the Lumberton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with crucial support from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and U.S. Marshals Service. Officials say they’re sending a message: for violent felons who pick up guns, federal time is no longer a threat—it’s a guarantee.