NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that yesterday in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TAVEYON JAMOND WILLIAMS, 21, of Raleigh, NC, to 70 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

WILLIAMS was named in an Indictment filed on June 7, 2019 charging him with one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm on February 6, 2019.  On October 9, 2019, WILLIAMS pled guilty.

On February 6, 2019, officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), were on proactive patrol around Jones Street and North Tarboro Street in Raleigh, when they encountered WILLIAMS.  The officers recognized WILLIAMS, a convicted felon, from previous encounters with him and were aware of multiple outstanding warrants for WILLIAMS’ arrest.  As officers approached WILLIAMS to serve the outstanding warrants, WILLIAMS fled on foot.  With the assistance of a police K-9 and witness identification, officers determined WILLIAMS ran into a nearby apartment.

Officers made contact with the occupants of the apartment WILLIAMS was witnessed entering.  WILLIAMS was arrested at the residence without further incident.  Officers conducted a search of the residence and recovered WILLIAMS’ Smith & Wesson, M&P Shield, 9mm pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.  For more information about this initiative click here:  https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Daniel William Smith represented the government.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.