RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III, sentenced RODNEY LUCAS, 41, to 228 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.  The Court granted the Motion for Upward Departure because of LUCAS’ 59 prior state convictions spanning over 20 years including eight prior felony drug convictions and a felony conviction for strangulation.

     A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on June 29, 2011. At his arraignment on January 9, 2012, LUCAS pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924, and felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924.

According to the investigation, on October 13, 2009, the Washington Police Department received information that LUCAS was at a residence in the area and possessing a firearm.  Officers responded.  Upon seeing the police arrive, LUCAS fled, running into the residence.  LUCAS was apprehended and a search of LUCAS revealed six .357 rounds of ammunition in his pants’ pocket.  Officers were then told that LUCAS had hidden a firearm in the residence and officers were shown to a freezer where the firearm was recovered. 

In April, 2010, a state search warrant was executed at LUCAS’ residence where officers located a box of ammunition.

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 Washington Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jane J. Jackson prosecuted the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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