FEDS SHUTDOWN ILLEGAL
GUN PIPELINE FROM
NORTH CAROLINA TO DC
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Federal law enforcement officials from both North Carolina and Washington, D.C. announced last week the shutdown of an illegal pipeline of firearms that pumped guns from North Carolina onto the streets of Washington and other cities up and down the East Coast.
“A conveyor belt of weapons feeding violence up the East Coast, putting illegal guns onto our streets — today that conveyor belt has stopped,” D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanne Pirro told reporters during a Washington, D.C. press conference. Pirro was flanked by officials from North Carolina’s Eastern District, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
All of them, including U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyce of North Carolina’s Eastern District, were there to also announce a 13-count indictment against five defendants - Brian “B” Agee, age 40, charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, six counts of firearms trafficking and aiding and abetting and six counts of aiding and abetting the making of a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer; Arnis Lecresha Young, 33, charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, six counts of aiding and abetting the making of a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and six counts of aiding and abetting the making of a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer; Frank “Fatboy” Rayvonne Harris, 38, charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms; Antonique Whitaker, 34, charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms;, two counts of aiding and abetting firearms trafficking, and two counts of aiding and abetting the making of a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer; Christian Shedetta Atkinson, 30, charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, and one count of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for conspiracy to traffic firearms from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., and 10 years federal imprisonment for making false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers.
“It’s a little bit embarrassing that they’re getting some of these guns from North Carolina,” Boyle said. “But thanks to the great work of our ATF partners, they found the pipeline and they let us know about it.”
“If you’re selling guns in eastern North Carolina to other places and you want to go gun trafficking from there, we’re going to be looking for you, we’re going to find you, and we’re going to prosecute you,” Boyle warned.
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BLACK CHURCHES MOBILIZE
“SOULS TO THE POLLS”
WEEKEND TO MAXIMIZE
BLACK VOTE
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Even though Sunday early voting was eliminated in at least 20 North Carolina counties across the state this year, Black churches in other counties like Mecklenburg, New Hanover and Guilford mobilized their congregations after church services for "Souls to the Polls" last weekend so that African-Americans could join upwards of over 340,000 early Black voters out of over 1.6 million total voters across the state as of October 25th who cast their ballots going into the final week of early voting before the November 3rd midterm elections.
At that same point in 2022, only 1.04 million total had early voted in that midterm. Registered Black voter turnout in 2022 was only 42%, the lowest since 2010. That percentage is expected to improve this midterm election.
Highlighting current Black turnout efforts, the North Carolina Association of Educators partnered with the New Hanover County NAACP to host a "Souls to the Polls" event at St. Luke AME Zion Church in Wilmington where congregants were encouraged to wear a red shirt, vote at the nearest early voting site to the church, then enjoy food together after they voted.
In Durham, it was "Social Justice Sunday" as members of St. Joseph AME Church and the surrounding community gathered at the church, and either walked or rode to the early voting site on the nearby campus of North Carolina Central University to cast their ballots after church service.
“We have a huge caravan of people from our church, from our community, from neighboring churches where we worship together,” the Rev. Dr. Abdue Knox, pastor of St. Joseph’s told ABC-11 news.
In Greensboro, the Black Action March sponsored by New Light Baptist Church and Pastor Greg Druemwright drew large groups of marchers to the Barber Park Polling Place so people could vote.
There were also "Souls to the Polls" events in Alamance, Forsyth, Johnston, Rowan, and Wake counties.
Mecklenburg County held its "Souls to the Polls" event on Saturday.
October 25th was the last Sunday per the midterm elections for early voting to be held. Early voting ends Saturday, Oct. 31st at 3 p.m.. Those who were not able to take advantage of early voting can still cast their ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd. Polls open at 6:30 a.m., and close at 7:30 p.m.. Make sure you have your photo identification with you. All absentee mail-in ballots are required to be at your local county board of elections office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 3rd.
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