A Wilmington man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a brazen crime that put the lives of children at risk. Shaquille Gregg, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen, loaded firearm after he dropped it in the playground of a daycare center.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on January 26, 2022, when Gregg fled from a traffic stop on a vehicle in which he was a passenger. Officers apprehended him after a brief foot chase and retraced his path, finding the stolen Smith & Wesson pistol in the fenced-in playground area of a daycare. Testing revealed the presence of Gregg’s DNA on the firearm.
Gregg, a member of the Double-II Bloods gang, has a history of violence. In 2014, he shot a man in the face and back after he questioned his gang affiliation. He was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in New Hanover County Superior Court and was sentenced to 75-102 months in prison.
Gregg also has prior convictions for possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, carrying a concealed gun, and two federal convictions for distribution of a quantity of heroin. He has been validated as a member of the Bloods street gang by the North Carolina Department of Corrections.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Coastal Carolina Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Michael Easley praised the work of law enforcement in apprehending Gregg and commended their quick action in finding the gun before a toddler could have been harmed. ‘This Blood gang member received the maximum time behind bars after ditching a stolen gun on a daycare playground while he ran to dodge arrest,’ Easley said.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative, a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime.
Gregg’s sentence is the statutory maximum for the crime. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.
Defendant: Shaquille Gregg
Criminal Charge: Possession of a stolen, loaded firearm
City and State: Wilmington, North Carolina
Exact Date: February 21, 2024 (sentencing)
Sentence: 10 years in federal prison
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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