FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - February 12, 2009

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court here on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced WILLARD JUNIOR ALSTON, 32, of Wilson, North Carolina, to 96 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment against ALSTON on May 22, 2008. On November 12, 2008, ALSTON pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In April, 2008, Wilson County Police Department executed a search warrant on ALSTON’s residence. ALSTON was subsequently arrested, after he was found in possession of a Glock .40 caliber handgun and approximately three-hundred (300) grams of powder cocaine in the residence.

Mr. Holding commented: “Here is another example of how well the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program is working. In bringing these cases to the federal level, with more severe sentencing ranges, it is the hope that these armed felons will receive the message that they are breaking the law and it will not be tolerated.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Wilson County Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brian S. Meyers served as prosecutor 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.