Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced yesterday to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon. On September 16, 2024, Tavon Everett Lee Vines, age 32, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on January 6, 2021, Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Vines. After the vehicle stopped, and while he was still in his police cruiser, the Sheriff observed Vines and a front-seat passenger switching seats. Upon approach, the Sheriff noted that three minor children were in the vehicle’s rear seat. The Sheriff further observed that Vines, who had moved to the front passenger seat, kept his hand under his shirt; the Sheriff recognized that Vines was in possession of a firearm. The woman who had been in the passenger seat but had moved to the driver’s seat was escorted out of the vehicle, and the Sheriff radioed in for a deputy to come assist in the stop.
An assisting deputy shortly arrived on scene and tried to remove Vines from the vehicle as well, but Vines pushed the deputy and attempted to flee on foot. The deputy stopped Vines from fleeing, at which time Vines kicked the deputy in the face and tried to steal the deputy’s service weapon from the holster. Vines eventually broke free from the struggle, ran around to the driver’s seat of the car, and fled in the vehicle where the children had remained. During the pursuit, which occurred after sunset, Vines turned off the vehicle lights and drove at speeds exceeding 120 mph before ultimately crashing into a guardrail and fleeing on foot, leaving the children, who were uninjured, in the car. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded .40 caliber firearm. Vines has two prior felony convictions for crimes of violence and is not permitted to legally own a firearm.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals, especially those who assault law enforcement, is a top priority,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those that endanger our communities.”
“This case is a great representation of how we combat the violence of criminals who live or travel through our county,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “Our office is grateful to have such dedicated law enforcement partners that willingly put their lives in danger every day to protect every citizen. This case would have not been possible without the hard work and collaboration of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“A felon in possession of a firearm is a serious threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “ATF and our law enforcement partners are focused on stopping those who endanger our communities, and we’ll continue to utilize every resource we have to keep our streets safe.”
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II announced the sentence on February 26, 2025. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-00147M-001.
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