Shooter will serve time for federal charge
By Staff Reports
Published in News on March 21, 2010 1:50 AM
A man charged in connection with the 2008 shooting of a Goldsboro police officer has been sentenced to prison time on federal charges in connection with the crime.
Jerome Demond Wright, 26, of Goldsboro, has been sentenced to 120 months in prison in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon on Oct. 20, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding.
Wright's sentence is to be followed by three years of probation.
Local charges against Wright are still pending.
On June 8, 2008, Clint Hales, a Goldsboro police officer, on routine patrol, observed a vehicle with an equipment violation. A traffic stop was performed. After inquiring about a license and receiving an unsatisfactory response, the officer asked Wright to exit the vehicle. He refused and pulled out a firearm and fired at the officer, hitting him twice.
Hales, although seriously injured, returned fire, shooting Wright in his buttocks. Wright then allegedly threw the gun and a bag of marijuana under his vehicle.
Wright was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.
The case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods, which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified effort against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Goldsboro Police Department.
Wright still faces more serious charges locally in Wayne County Superior Court, including attempted murder, two counts of assault on a police officer and carrying a concealed weapon. He was also cited with marijuana possession at the time of his offense, authorities said.
Hales has since returned to full-time duty.