Snow Hill Man Sentenced For Selling Crack And Firearms Offenses

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced JOEL DEVON WILLIAMS, 27,of Snow Hill, North Carolina, to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised released for distribution of crack cocaine and possession of firearm by a convicted felon.  WILLIAMS previously pled guilty to these charges on October 28, 2013.   

On October 25, 2011, the Greenville Police Department used an informant to buy a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber handgun from WILLIAMS.  On October 27, 2011, the Greenville Police Department used an informant to buy an SKS assault rifle and approximately 19 grams of crack cocaine from WILLIAMS.  WILLIAMS was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior state felony convictions of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The investigation further revealed that between June 6 and June 27, 2011, co-defendant BRANDON JAMAL GREEN purchased 3 firearms that he later provided to his co-defendant, JOEL DEVON WILLIAMS, a convicted felon.  During the purchases, GREEN signed paperwork under oath swearing that the firearms were for his use.  After GREEN gave the firearms to WILLIAMS, GREEN filed reports with the Greenville Police Department and Winterville Police Department alleging that the firearms were stolen.  On January 27, 2012, one of the firearms purchased and reported stolen by GREEN was seized during a drug investigation in Washington, D.C.  GREEN pled guilty to charges arising from the investigation and was sentenced to 12 months and one day on January 6, 2013. 

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greenville Police Department. 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.  Mr. Perry’s assignment to the United States Attorney’s Office has been made possible by grants funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.