FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FRIDAY - March 12, 2010

CUMBERLAND COUNTY MAN SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced GREGORY ALLEN TOLAR, 49, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, to 235 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. The Court found TOLAR’s prior violent criminal history convictions qualified him as an Armed Career Criminal.

On July 23, 2009, a Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment charging TOLAR. On December 7, 2009, TOLAR pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon and possession of stolen firearms.

On September 14, 2008, TOLAR punched his girlfriend in the face and took a vehicle belonging to his girlfriend’s daughter. On September 16, 2008, TOLAR broke into his parent’s residence and stole two firearms, a Rhom RG23, .22 caliber revolver, and a 12-gauge shotgun. That same day TOLAR’s girlfriend’s daughter and her companions met TOLAR at TOLAR’s parents’ residence and demanded that TOLAR give her back the car. TOLAR refused and TOLAR’s girlfriend’s daughter and her companions left.

TOLAR followed them to a local business where he pointed a firearm at them. TOLAR’s girlfriend’s daughter and her companions fled the area in an automobile. A highspeed chase ensued with TOLAR chasing his girlfriend’s daughter and her companions. TOLAR eventually crashed the car he was driving and then fled on foot. TOLAR left the 12 gauge shotgun behind.

Officers found TOLAR at his girlfriend’s daughter’s residence and arrested him in possession of the .22 caliber revolver. Officers discovered TOLAR had discharged the firearm inside the residence damaging personal property.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) 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.

The law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. James is the assigned prosecutor.

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