Jones County Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years for Shooting

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jones County man was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which he used to assault with the intent to murder a victim.  On June 10, 2021, William Horton Jr. pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Horton, 59, used a firearm to shoot another man outside a gas station near Pollocksville, North Carolina in December 2020.  The victim survived.  A search of Horton’s residence discovered the firearm used to assault the victim, as well as a second unlawful firearm and assorted ammunition.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Jones County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fitzgerald prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-13-D.