Xavier Dominique Garris, Gun and Drug Charges, North Carolina 2019

RALEIGH

Hope Mills resident Xavier Dominique Garris, 26, has been handed a 162-month prison sentence for his involvement in gun and drug-related crimes in the state of North Carolina.

According to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., Garris was sentenced by United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, after pleading guilty to one count each of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana on April 8, 2019.

The charges stem from a 2017 incident in Fayetteville where Garris was stopped by police for speeding. After stepping out of his vehicle, Garris ran to a nearby wooded area, prompting officers to give chase. He was eventually apprehended and found to be in possession of a digital scale, approximately three ounces of marijuana, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun. The handgun was reported stolen.

Garris' state criminal record includes six prior felony drug convictions and three prior firearm-related felony convictions, raising concerns about his involvement in illicit activities.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017, the US Attorney's Office has reinvigorated the PSN program, targeting violent criminals and directing all US Attorney's Offices to work with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to develop effective strategies to reduce violent crime.

The investigation was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government in the case.

As part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has emphasized the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney's Offices to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. More information about this initiative can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Xavier Dominique Garris

Criminal Charges: Felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana

City and State: Hope Mills, North Carolina

Exact Date: April 8, 2019 (sentencing), May 20, 2017 (arrest)

Sentence: 162 months' imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release

Dollar Amounts: Not applicable

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/hope-mills-man-sentenced-more-13-years-gun-and-drug-charges