Wadesboro Man In Possession Of A Stolen Firearm Is Sentenced To Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that Patrick Taylor, 26, of Wadesboro, N.C., was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday, followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a stolen firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. This sentence will be served in conjunction with related offenses for which Taylor is currently serving state terms of imprisonment.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief J. Bryan Gilliard of the Monroe Police Department (MPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on June 6, 2022, MPD officers received information that Taylor was driving a stolen vehicle in the Monroe area. MPD officers located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. Court documents show that the vehicle failed to stop and instead increased its speed, driving around other vehicles and through a median. Eventually, the vehicle drove through a grassy area before crashing. When the vehicle came to a stop, Taylor jumped out and fled into a wooded area. MPD officers pursued on foot until they lost sight of Taylor.  

According to court records, law enforcement located Taylor in a nearby field and the defendant was subsequently arrested. Once Taylor was apprehended, court documents show that law enforcement located a firearm near where Taylor had been located. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Taylor had stolen the firearm from another individual a few days prior, and that the firearm had been reported stolen.

On December 20, 2023, Taylor pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. Taylor will remain in federal custody until he is 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 commended ATF and the Monroe Police Department for their investigation of the case and thanked the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

In July 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office launched Think Again, an informational campaign to educate the public on how to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the wrong hands. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with the ATF in this initiative, in an effort to reduce gun-induced violence and to increase reporting of illegal firearms. The campaign encourages the public to submit an anonymous tip about illegal firearms and other criminal activity to the ATF by calling 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), via text at 63975, or online at WWW.ATF.GOV/ATF-TIPS.

For additional information about our Think Again initiative, please visit our website. You can view our Think Again Public Service Announcements here.