FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MONDAY - March 5, 2012

SHANNON, NORTH CAROLINA, FELON SENTENCED FOR UNLAWFUL FIREARMS POSSESSION

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court on March 1, 2012, Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced ANDRE LAMONTE BALDWIN, 39, of Shannon, North Carolina, to 87 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.

On May 10, 2011, a Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment charging BALDWIN with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. On November 8, 2011, he pled guilty to charge.

According to the investigation, on August 13, 2010, the Controlled Substance Tax Division of the North Carolina Department of Revenue requested assistance from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office to serve a Warrant for Collection of Taxes relating to a prior drug seizure. Upon serving the warrant at his residence, BALDWIN was asked if any drugs, firearms or large sums of currency were on the premises. BALDWIN admitted to having a shotgun. He also admitted that he was a previously convicted felon.

A search of the residence revealed a Remington Arms, Model 870, Super Express Magnum, 12-gauge shotgun and a Smith & Wesson, Model 49, .38 caliber revolver along with ammunition.

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 Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Moore prosecuted the case.