Federal Jury Finds Wilmington Man Guilty Of Drug And Firearms Charges

NEW BERN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that Wednesday, a federal jury in New Bern found KRISTOPHER OWEN DANIELS, 31, of Wilmington guilty of four criminal charges: possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base (crack) and marijuana; knowingly used and carried a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

Daniels was named in an Indictment originally filed on November 12, 2014.  DANIELS was arrested on May 31, 2014, after police responded to a when a 911 call requesting police assistance at a residence in Wilmington.  After uniformed Wilmington Police officers responded, DANIELS ran towards the back yard of the house, and threw a bag of crack (over 20 grams) and a black Taurus .380 firearm while officers were chasing him.  A fence in the backyard prevented him from fleeing and he turned and threw marijuana at one of the pursuing officers.  Currency in the amount of $2,100.00 also was recovered from DANIELS.   

A Wilmington Police Department detective obtained a search warrant for the home.  A search of DANIELS’ bedroom revealed a box of .380 ammunition, more United States currency, marijuana seeds, and a Charter Arms .38 revolver.

At sentencing, DANIELS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; the Wilmington Police Department, including the Wilmington Police Department Crime Laboratory; and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette represented the government.