Charlotte resident Deddrick Ray Ervin, age 35, received a 46-month sentence to federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a history of felony convictions, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. handed down the verdict on Monday, and the sentencing includes an additional two years of supervised release. According to the announcement, Ervin was apprehended when local authorities responded to a call in Charlotte, involving multiple complaints relating to criminal activity.
Documents reveal that authorities were attempting to stop Ervin's vehicle on December 12, 2022, but Ervin did not immediately comply. It was later that law enforcement discovered Ervin concealed in a shed with narcotics, as well as a firearm, at the scene. On August 8, 2023, Ervin pled guilty to possessing a firearm by a convicted felon and has now been ordered to serve time in federal custody. With prior convictions in Georgia and South Carolina for similar offenses and kidnapping, Ervin is prohibited by law to even be in possession of firearms.
U.S. Attorney D. J. King recognized the efforts of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) for their collaborative investigation that led to Ervin's conviction. In her statement, King underlined the importance of agencies working together "to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone." The case against Deddrick Ervin is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that aims to reduce violent crime and enforce gun laws more rigorously.
The role of the Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa was crucial in prosecuting the case. The PSN program, which Ervin's case falls under, was revitalized by the Department on May 26, 2021, with a renewed focus on punching down violent crime and building trust within communities. Ervin's sentencing echoes these objectives, as the judicial system continues to categorically apply consequences to those who pose risks to public safety by illegally carrying firearms.
