Dunn Man Sentenced To 235 Months For Federal Firearm Offenses

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced DAVID ELLIS, 53, of Dunn, North Carolina, to 235 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. 

On August 26, 2013, ELLIS pled guilty to two federal charges: Possession of a Stolen Firearm on February 11, 2012, in violation of Title 18, United States Code 922(j) and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm on February 11, 2012, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871.

According to the investigation, on February 11, 2012, ELLIS’ girlfriend and her mother were attempting to flee their house after DAVID ELLIS assaulted his girlfriend by hitting her in the face.  When her mother attempted to intervene, ELLIS assaulted her by hitting her in the face, knocking her to the ground, and kicking her in the chest.  The mother was able to flee the house and call emergency services and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office who responded to the scene.  ELLIS pointed a stolen loaded sawed-off shotgun at his girlfriend, making her come back into the residence before the girlfriend could get to safety.  During a standoff with police, ELLIS terrorized his girlfriend; he threatened to shoot her and gave her a bullet to further intimidate her.  The stand-off ended when ELLIS and his girlfriend emerged from the home after the Harnett County SRT team was called out.

Prior to the February incident, assault and related charges were taken out against Ellis in October, 2011, in Harnett County.

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 Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney, S. Katherine Burnette prosecuted the case.