Goldsboro resident sentenced on federal drug, weapon charges
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on September 18, 2008 1:38 PM
WILMINGTON -- United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox has sentenced Willie James Bean, 64, of Goldsboro to 180 months' imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.
In May, Bean had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and posses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. On Dec. 5, 2005, law enforcement received information that BEAN was armed and selling drugs from his residence. As a result, a search warrant of the residence was executed on Dec. 7, 2005.
The search recovered crack cocaine; marijuana; a Norinco, Model SKS, 7.62 x 39 caliber rifle; a Remington, Model 870, 12 gauge shotgun; a Winchester, Model 190, .22 caliber rifle; an H&R, Model 088, .410 caliber shotgun, and a Rossi, .38 caliber revolver. Multiple rounds of ammunition were also recovered.
On April 24, 2007, another search warrant was execute at BEAN's residence. Officers seized a Cobra .38 caliber handgun; an Armscor, .38 caliber handgun; several rounds of ammunition and a film cannister that contained cocaine residue.
BEAN has an extensive violent criminal history that includes assault, assault with a deadly weapon, larceny, selling marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, accessory after the fact of larceny, possession of a controlled substance, and assault with a deadly weapon inflecting serious injury. Mr. Holding commented, "This is the type of offender who is the focus of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Our communities are safer when these offenders are taken off the streets." Investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Goldsboro Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes served as prosecutor for the government.