Greenville Firearms Trafficker Sentenced

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced LIONEL THOMAS EASTERLING, 30, of Greenville, North Carolina, to 84 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.

On January 2, 2013, EASTERLING pled guilty to an Indictment charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The investigation began when the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force used an informant to make two controlled purchases of firearms from EASTERLING in Greenville, N.C.  On June 12, 2012, EASTERLING sold three stolen handguns to the informant and on June 20, 2012, EASTERLING sold an AR-15 assault rifle to the informant.  EASTERLING was prohibited from possessing firearms and due to his prior felony convictions for selling cocaine.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The federal prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry.  Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney's Office. Pitt County District Attorney Kimberly Robb has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney's Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters. The assignment to the United States Attorney's Office has been made possible by grants funded by the Governor's Crime Commission.