George E. B. Holding

CONTACT: 919/856-4530

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Monday, April 2, 2007

GOLDSBORO MAN FOUND GUILTY OF FELON IN POSSESSION
OF A FIREARM AND DRUG TRAFFICKING VIOLATIONS

ELIZABETH CITY - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that a jury in Elizabeth City convicted BOBBY RAWLINGS, 59, of 1200 East Elm Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina on one count of felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), and two counts of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). The jury returned its verdict last week, following a trial in federal court before the Honorable Terrence W. Boyle, United States District Judge. Sentencing is scheduled for the July term of Court.

RAWLINGS, a multiple convicted felon, shot a police officer in the chest during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. RAWLINGS only stopped firing his weapon when his gun jammed. Three months before, RAWLINGS was stopped by the North Carolina Highway and was found to be in possession of cocaine and a loaded semi-automatic handgun. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods national initiative to reduce gun violence.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wilmington Field Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Goldsboro Police Department. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jane J. Jackson, Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator prosecuted the case for the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.