Garysburg Gunman Frederick Gets 80 Months

NEW BERN, NC – Khaalid Sharif Frederick, 36, of Garysburg, North Carolina, is headed to federal prison for 80 months after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan handed down the sentence yesterday, followed by three years of supervised release. The case highlights the ongoing federal crackdown on repeat offenders fueling gun violence in Eastern North Carolina.

The trouble began November 24, 2015, when the Roanoke Rapids Police Department received a frantic 911 call from Frederick’s own mother. She reported her son was “out of control” at her residence, prompting a rapid response from law enforcement. What unfolded wasn’t a domestic dispute easily diffused; it escalated into a tense standoff.

Four officers arrived at the scene and immediately encountered resistance. Hours crawled by as authorities attempted to negotiate with Frederick. Finally, he emerged from the house and surrendered. But the danger wasn’t over. A thorough search of the residence revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol – the evidence that sealed his fate.

Frederick’s guilty plea, entered August 16, 2016, admitted he was illegally possessing the firearm despite his prior felony conviction. Details of that prior conviction were not immediately released, but it was enough to disqualify him from legally owning a weapon. The prosecution successfully argued that Frederick posed a clear and present danger to the community.

Federal prosecutors emphasized this case was a key component of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a nationwide program designed to foster cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, focusing on the most dangerous offenders driving gun violence. The goal is a unified “team effort” to remove these individuals from the streets and disrupt their criminal activity.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Roanoke Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette led the prosecution, securing the conviction and lengthy sentence. This case serves as a stark warning: felons caught with firearms in Eastern North Carolina will face the full force of federal law.