GEORGE E. B. HOLDING

CONTACT: 919/856-4530

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - OCTOBER 16, 2007

CONVICTED FELON PLEADS GUILTY

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that in federal court today TRAVIS LAMONT SPEIGHT, 27, pleaded guilty before United States District Senior Judge James Fox to felon in possession of a handgun.

A Criminal Indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 2, 2007, charged SPEIGHT with distribution of more than 5 grams of crack cocaine and with being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

On February 25, 2007, a victim reported to police that SPEIGHT had stolen the victim’s Cobray M-11 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Officers located SPEIGHT at a residence in Wilson, North Carolina, and found the firearm. SPEIGHT is a multi-convicted felon whose violations include voluntary manslaughter and first degree robbery.

SPEIGHT faces up to ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. If it is deemed that SPEIGHT is an Armed Career Criminal, he could be sentenced pursuant to The Armed Career Criminal Act and faces a minimum of 15 years up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years supervised release.

Three years ago Wilson Police set out to address violent crimes in the city following several deaths of young adults within a short period of time. A Juvenile/Gang Investigative Unit was established and a closer involvement with the Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Attorney’s Office has led to prosecutions, such as this, of career violent offenders through the federal courts.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Wilson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Jackson is prosecution 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.