FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WEDNESDAY - February 15, 2012

CONVICTED FELON PLEADS GUILTY TO FIREARMS CHARGE

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday KENTRELL VENABLE, 26, of Henderson, North Carolina, pled guilty before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to the Criminal Indictment returned September 20, 2011, VENABLE was found possessing a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun on July 31, 2011. According to the investigation, a family member made two calls to 911, claiming that VENABLE destroyed personal property at the family member’s residence and that he had a firearm. When law enforcement arrived, VENABLE was on the front porch of the residence with a shotgun. The family member told law enforcement that VENABLE had pointed the gun at her.

At sentencing, VENABLE faces up to 10 years imprisonment.

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 Henderson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette is prosecuting the case.