Lee County Offenders Collect More Than 127 Years in Federal Prison Sentences for Firearms, Drug Offenses

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Since May 2023, federal judges have sentenced 17 defendants with charges originating in Lee County, North Carolina, to an aggregate total of 1,529 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).

In the most recent case, SAHEEM SHAREEF WILLIAMS, age 37, of Sanford, North Carolina, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Loretta C. Biggs to 120 months' imprisonment, the maximum sentence allowed by statute. WILLIAMS was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release.

According to court records, on April 7, 2022, Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to WILLIAMS' residence in Sanford for a domestic violence call. The situation escalated when WILLIAMS barricaded himself inside the home and opened fire on deputies. Deputies briefly exchanged fire with WILLIAMS but never again discharged their weapons. WILLIAMS, however, periodically shot from inside his home towards deputies who had taken cover on the property. One deputy reported hearing a bullet fly by him, while another reported having taken cover behind a pickup truck when a bullet from WILLIAMS' gun struck it. Deputies repeatedly ordered WILLIAMS to surrender. After 45 minutes, he threw his .22 caliber revolver onto the porch and left the residence with his hands raised. WILLIAMS is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. He pleaded guilty on October 16, 2023, to possessing a firearm as a felon.

"The citizens of Sanford and Lee County are safer as a result of these prosecutions," said U.S. Attorney Hairston. "The cases were investigated and prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which allows federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to focus resources on repeat, violent offenders, many of whom illegally possess firearms. PSN is a proven strategy for reducing violent crime in areas where the strategy is in use."

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.

Today's sentencing is the most recent in a series of cases resulting from a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement intended to reduce violent and gun-related crime in Sanford and Lee County. At least 17 defendants, including WILLIAMS, have been sentenced for firearm or drug offenses in U.S. District Court for the MDNC in the past 15 months. Several other defendants pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced before the end of the year. The Sanford/Lee County defendants include the following:

SENTENCED

• Diante Teryl Roberson, age 26, of Sanford, NC: Roberson was sentenced on May 9, 2023, to 46 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
• Jamel Christopher Harris, age 29, of Sanford, NC: Harris was sentenced on May 22, 2023, to 30 days' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for making a false statement on ATF Form 4473 in acquisition of a firearm.
• Steven Trent Goins, age 29, of Sanford, NC: Goins was sentenced on June 14, 2023, to 97 months' imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Tyquan Bernard Jones, age 25, of Sanford, NC: Jones was sentenced on September 6, 2023, to 21 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine hydrochloride.
• Brian Thomas Bright, age 48, of Sanford, NC: Bright was sentenced on September 12, 2023, to 97 months' imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
• Larry Brown, age 47, of Sanford, NC: Brown was sentenced on September 12, 2023, to 100 months' imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
• Robert Terrell Bush, age 33, of Sanford, NC: Bush was sentenced on September 26, 2023, to 78 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine hydrochloride.
• Rosa Raquel Diaz, age 25, of Broadway, NC: Diaz was sentenced on November 17, 2023, to 87 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine hydrochloride.
• Chad Marques Jennings, age 41, [no permanent address]: Jennings was sentenced on December 19, 2023, to 120 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
• Christian Berberana Diaz, age 44, [no permanent address]: Diaz was sentenced on March 8, 2024, to 100 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
• Calvin Devonte Bush, age 29, of Winston-Salem, NC: Bush was sentenced on March 12, 2024, to 60 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and doing so while under a term of federal supervised release.
• Keyonta Tyreese McDougald, age 28, of Durham, NC: McDougald was sentenced on March 15, 2024, to 80 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
• Jeremy Fontaz Moore, age 28, of Fayetteville, NC: Moore was sentenced on June 13, 2024, to 120 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and distributing fentanyl.
• Ricky Brown, age 31, of Sanford, NC: Brown was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 168 months' imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl.
• Tommy Gene East, Jr., age 52, of Sanford, NC: East was sentenced on August 2, 2024, to 144 months' imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine.
• Jonathan Alexander Washington, age 33, of Sanford, NC: Washington was sentenced on August 2, 2024, to 90 months' imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for possessing ammunition as a felon.

PENDING SENTENCING

• Dalvin Davis, age 27, of Sanford, NC: Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2024, for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
• Flavio Cesar Sandoval-Romero, age 29, of Mexico: Sandoval-Romero is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2024, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.
• Latavious Kwame McIver, age 35, of Sanford, NC: McIver is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2024, for distributing fentanyl.

The following agencies investigated or assisted with one or more of the above cases: Sanford Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Lee County District Attorney's Office, North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections Special Operations and Intelligence Unit, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob D. Pryor and Laura J. Dildine of the Middle District of North Carolina.

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