Domestic Violence Offender Is Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of A Firearm By A Felon

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A convicted domestic violence offender was sentenced to prison today for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. ordered Gregory Dashawn Fondren, 26, of Charlotte, to serve 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

“Armed domestic abusers are far more likely to inflict serious bodily harm on their intimate partners, and potentially create dangerous situations for innocent bystanders and responding law enforcement officers. My Office will continue to utilize federal gun laws to prevent and prosecute prohibited persons from illegally possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney King. 

“Too often, we’ve seen domestic violence turn deadly when a firearm is involved,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jones. “ATF works daily to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous and prohibited individuals, including those with a history of domestic violence.”

According to information contained in court documents and court proceedings, on September 17, 2021, a witness called 911 to report that a male, later identified as Fondren, was physically assaulting and strangling a female at the parking lot of a grocery store. CMPD officers arrived at the scene and saw that the victim, who was Fondren’s girlfriend, was injured and was bleeding as a result of the assault. A witness told CMPD officers that he saw Fondren put the victim in a headlock, then punch and kick her while she was on the ground. Fondren ran away when law enforcement arrived.

According to court records, CMPD officers located Fondren and he was apprehended soon after. Officers also recovered Fondren’s backpack that he had discarded as he was fleeing the scene and removed from the backpack Fondren’s ID card and a .38 caliber revolver. Court records show that Fondren is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior domestic violence conviction of Assault by Strangulation and a conviction for Common Law Robbery.

Fondren is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF in coordination with CMPD.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon. The presence of a gun in a domestic situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

To understand more about domestic violence, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#dv. If you require immediate help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) or Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483.