Jury Convicts Charlotte Man Of Illegal Firearm Possession

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, a federal jury convicted Daniel Wood, 47, of Charlotte, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

Bennie Mims, 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. 

According to trial evidence, witness testimony, and filed court documents, on May 1, 2022, Wood attempted to enter a Charlotte nightclub with a loaded firearm in his pants pocket. The security of the nightclub located the firearm when they patted down the defendant prior to entering the club. Security removed the firearm and turned it over to an off-duty CMPD officer. Trial evidence established that while the CMPD officer was in his patrol vehicle examining the firearm, Wood spoke to the officer and explained that he received the gun from someone else and that he had forgotten it was in the pocket of his pants.

Wood is in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set. 

The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

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.