Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Monday, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. sentenced Deddrick Ray Ervin, 35, of Charlotte, to 46 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a 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 documents filed with the court and court proceedings, on December 12, 2022, law enforcement encountered Ervin while patrolling an area in Charlotte that had received numerous complaints and calls for service relating to criminal activity. Law enforcement encountered Ervin and attempted to stop Ervin’s vehicle, but Ervin did not comply. According to court records, law enforcement later located Ervin hiding in a shed and he was arrested. Law enforcement located a backpack in the shed that contained fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, and recovered a firearm from the scene.

On August 8, 2023, Ervin pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Ervin has a prior conviction in Georgia of felon in possession of a firearm, and a South Carolina state conviction for kidnapping, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Ervin is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa prosecuted the case.

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.