Federal Jury Convicts Wilson Man for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

GREENVILLE – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today in Federal court, KELLY SHADROME ANDERSON, a 33-year-old resident of Wilson, was convicted following a two-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard. The jury found ANDERSON guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The evidence at trial showed that in the early evening on September 24, 2016, the Wilson Police Department responded to a burglary in progress at a residence (716 Harper Street) in Wilson. The resident of the home advised that she was sitting on her front porch with a friend and observed ANDERSON run toward her with a firearm.  ANDERSON entered the residence and locked the front door. ANDERSON held a three year old hostage inside the residence. ANDERSON later surrendered and the firearm ANDERSON brandished was found inside the residence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and the Wilson Police Department. Melissa Kessler prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.