FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MONDAY - October 18, 2010

COUSINS SENTENCED RELATED TO SHOOTING INCIDENT

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court today United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced cousins for charges related to gunplay on Peace Street. XAVIER SANTONIO BOBBITT, 19, and JOSHUA JAMAL BOBBITT, 22, each received 20 months’ imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on November 24, 2009. XAVIER andJOSHUA BOBBITT each pled guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on June 8, 2010, and July 8, 2010, respectively.

On August 13, 2009, officers with the Oxford Police Department were dispatched to Peace Street in Oxford regarding a 9-1-1 call concerning shots fired in the area. The investigation revealed that XAVIER, JOSHUA, and a third individual were riding around in a vehicle in the area of Peace and Person Streets when they saw a person that they knew. As this person approached the vehicle, XAVIER got out of the car. The individual pulled out a shotgun and began loading it. XAVIER had a .9mm High Point semi-automatic pistol, so he pulled out the gun and started to run away from the individual. While running, he shot the gun in that person’s direction. XAVIER said he heard a loud boom, like a shotgun being fired. As XAVIER was running, JOSHUA drove up beside him in the vehicle and XAVIER tossed the handgun into the car. JOSHUA then drove off towards their house approximately two blocks away and hid the gun. After the officers spoke with JOSHUA, the firearm was recovered in a shed behind the residence. Both XAVIER and JOSHUA are convicted felons and were prohibited from possessing firearms.

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 Oxford Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Felice McConnell Corpening 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.