—  information courtesy of the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina

A Henderson man has been sentenced to 71 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon in connection with an incident that took place in the city in May 2022.

Jaymon Gibson, 26, pled guilty to the charges on Oct. 10, 2024.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement investigated two gang-related shooting incidents where Gibson possessed or fired guns.  On May 10, 2022, at around 11:15 pm, the Henderson Police Department (HPD) responded to reports of a gunshot wound at a house on Powell Street in Henderson.  The 911 caller led officers to Gibson, who was sitting in a car with gunshot wounds to his left arm.  The 911 caller reported that she had seen someone shooting at Gibson from a black sedan.  Officers canvassed the area and found a Glock 19 9mm handgun with an American flag pattern on it lying in the yard.  They also found a 50-round drum magazine.  Doorbell camera footage from the home showed Gibson walking with the Glock 9mm.

The next day, co-defendant Monica Ellis called HPD and reported that a Glock 19 and a drum magazine had been stolen from her car.  Officers later confirmed with a firearms store that Ellis had purchased the firearm on March 8, 2022.  Gibson was in prison in March 2022, following a state conviction for voluntary manslaughter, and officers were able to obtain jail calls between him and Ellis.  These calls revealed that Gibson had directed Ellis to straw purchase the Glock 9mm for him, even placing a three-way phone call with Gibson and a gun store clerk.

On May 28, 2022, eighteen days after the Powell Street shooting, the HPD responded to a shots-fired call at the Gate City Foods gas station.  Surveillance video revealed that a little after 4 p.m., a car with Gibson driving and a juvenile male in the front passenger seat pulled into a gas pump away from the store.  A few minutes later, a white car with four occupants arrived and pulled up to a gas pump closer to the store.  The front passenger, later identified as Jordan Turnage, walked into the store.  Then a rear passenger, a juvenile, stepped out of the white car holding a long gun with a drum magazine.  Gibson, who had moved to the front passenger seat, then stepped out of the car also holding a firearm.  Moments later, gunfire erupted.  Turnage fired a handgun from inside Gates City Foods through the window towards Gibson.  At the same time, from the middle of the parking lot, the juvenile with the long gun began firing toward Gibson.  The white car’s driver also stepped out with a long gun and shot several rounds, striking himself in the foot in the process.  Gibson returned fire, shooting several rounds while crouching behind his car.  Both groups then fled from the scene. Later investigation found that gunshots had damaged multiple nearby cars and apartments, including one gunshot that had struck a bedroom window while a resident was sleeping.  Miraculously, no one was hurt in the incident.  Five days later, law enforcement located and arrested Gibson at an apartment in Durham.  They found a 22-caliber rifle with a high-capacity magazine that matched shell casings from where he had been parked at Gates City Foods.

“Keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals that endanger public safety remains a top priority for our office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar.  “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those that are the most significant contributors to violence.”

“Our partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina has been vital in our ongoing efforts to combat gun violence in our community,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus W. Barrow. “Throughout my tenure as Chief of Police, the ATF has maintained a steadfast presence in Henderson, demonstrating unwavering support and commitment to our shared goals. Their consistent presence is having a profound and lasting impact on our region. This case serves as yet another testament to our collective dedication in the fight against gun violence, and we remain resolute in our commitment to securing a safer future for all.”

Co-defendant Monica Ellis pled guilty to a felony offense of lying to a federal agent for statements she made related to straw-purchasing the Glock firearm.  On March 14, 2024, she was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release.  Jordan Turnage, who was not a felon at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted in state court for related felony offenses and received an active sentence of 38 to 58 months.

Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Henderson Police Department, Durham Police Department, and N.C State Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.