FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - August 12, 2010

ROCKY MOUNT MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGAL FIREARM POSSESSION

GREENVILLE - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday DAVID WARD MCLEAN, 61, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge David W. Daniel to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g) and 924.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on April 21, 2010.

On November 26, 2008, Rocky Mount Police Officers responded to a call of a subject being shot at a residence on Rose Street in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Officers found the victim lying on the ground, shot in the legs with buckshot. An individual at the scene identified MCLEAN as the shooter. Officers observed MCLEAN walk out of the residence and he was detained. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant, finding two shotguns, one was sawed-off, along with assorted ammunition.

At sentencing, set for November 9, 2010, MCLEAN faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by up to three years’ supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative 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 Rocky Mount Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Jackson 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.