Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Firearms

NEW BERN - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today that WILLIAM DAVID DEVANE 30, of Maryland (formerly of Fayetteville, North Carolina) pled guilty before United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan to Theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(u) and 924 and Possession of stolen firearms in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(j) and 924.

According to the investigation, DEVANE broke into the Guns Plus business located in Spring Lake, North Carolina and stole  15 firearms in addition to ammunition, magazines, and scopes. Officers responded to the scene and found DEVANE lying on top of a moving van parked near the gun store and the stolen firearms were located nearby.

DEVANE faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment along with a total of 3 years of supervised release at his sentencing scheduled for October 2, 2013 in New Bern.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spring Lake Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette prosecuted the case.