FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - August 24, 2010

RALEIGH MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO

UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court today BENNIE DUNLAP, 24, of Raleigh, North Carolina, pled guilty before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on June 9, 2010.

On December 28, 2009, Raleigh Police received a report of a robbery on Poole Road. The caller gave a description of the robbers and the direction of their escape.

Officers responded and quickly spotted the robbers, one later identified as DUNLAP, sitting at a bus stop within a few blocks from where the robbery occurred. Upon seeing the officers, the robbers immediately stood up, began acting nervous and started walking away. A city bus then pulled up and DUNLAP began slowly moving to the bus. Although, one officer instructed DUNLAP several times to stop, DUNLAP ran up the bus stairs. The officer chased DUNLAP into the bus while other officers quarantined the bus. DUNLAP then attempted to exit through the rear of the bus where he was apprehended. While on the bus, DUNLAP threw a gun into the stroller of a child. Officers found and seized the weapon.

At sentencing, set for November 22, 2010, DUNLAP faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by up to three years’ supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. If deemed an Armed Career Criminal, the maximum penalties increase to up to a life-time of imprisonment followed by up to five years’ supervised release.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William Gilmore represented the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.