FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MONDAY - October 19, 2009

FIRST OF FOUR DEFENDANTS SENTENCED

IN VIOLENT CRIME SPREE

NEW BERN - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court on Friday, October 16, 2009, Chief United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TIMOTHY DANIEL LOCKLEAR, 20, of Maxton, North Carolina, to 198 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on March 25, 2009. At his arraignment on July 7, 2009, LOCKLEAR pled guilty to interfering with commerce by threat or violence and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On June 25, 2008, LOCKLEAR, along with co-defendant Joshua Hunt, while wearing masks and armed with firearms, a 9mm handgun and an AK-47 rifle, kicked in the door of the victim’s home. The victim was entertaining friends at the time. LOCKLEAR and Hunt fired shots and when the victim recognized Hunt, he was struck over the head with one of the weapons. The defendants forced the occupants, at gunpoint, to go from room to room through the house as they searched the house for money and drugs. After stealing some crack cocaine, $600, an SKS rifle, and a Taurus, .45 caliber handgun, LOCKLEAR and Hunt ran out the back door of the house and into an awaiting stolen vehicle driven by co-defendant Joshua Goodman. Hunt and Goodman had stolen the vehicle at gunpoint the previous day.

Law enforcement apprehended Hunt and Goodman after a vehicular and foot chase. LOCKLEAR was later found and arrested.

Hunt, who pled guilty on August 23, 2009, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2009. Goodman, who pled guilty on September 9, 2009, is awaiting a sentencing date to be set.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) 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 this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Watford-McKinney represented 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.