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Edward Dominique Devone was sentenced January 31, 2023 to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon after opening fire during a drive-by at a group of individuals in Dunn, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of North Carolina. “This is the statutory maximum sentence available for this offense,” noted the release.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 19, 2020, Dunn Police Department (DPD) officers were patrolling the downtown businesses in Dunn when they heard approximately 10 shots fired in the area of East Harnett and East Vance Streets. Officers notified dispatch of the shooting and observed a vehicle run the stop sign at the intersection of East Vance Street and North Clinton Street.

“A traffic stop was initiated of the vehicle. Upon pulling up behind the vehicle, officers observed the back passenger door of the vehicle open and Devone exit the car with his hands up stating, ‘I didn’t do it,’” stated the release. “A female was driving the car. Officers asked her to step out of the car. As the female was exiting the car, officers observed an AK-47 (7.62 caliber Norinco semi-automatic rifle) on the floorboard behind the driver seat in plain view and a black .40 caliber handgun tucked in the back seat pocket on the passenger side seat with part of it visible. Upon securing the firearms from the vehicle, officers noted that the handgun was unloaded but warm to the touch, and the smell of fresh gun powder consistent with a recently fired firearm was present. The rifle was fully loaded.”

Officers traveled to the scene of the reported shooting and searched the 400 block of East Vance Street and spoke with an individual who advised the shooting occurred in front of his residence. “The homeowner told officers that a female and several men were visiting in front of his house when a car rode by and started shooting,” stated the release. “Officers located eight spent .40 caliber shell casings in the roadway in front of his house. The .40 caliber handgun was test fired and a comparison was done between the .40 shell casings recovered from the scene and the shell casing from the bullet used to test fire the handgun and they were a match.”

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing was concluded. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing. Dunn Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker prosecuted.

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