RALEIGH (AP) — A convicted felon is headed back to prison after trying to hide a loaded pistol under his child during a traffic stop in Fayetteville.
U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle sentenced Vincent Jarod Williams of Spring Lake on Thursday to more than eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The 30-year-old father has two earlier convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Prosecutors say a Fayetteville police officer initiated a traffic stop after Williams ran a red light in 2010. They searched the vehicle after seeing drugs and an empty gun holster strapped to Williams’ belt.
Officers say they found a loaded .22-caliber pistol hidden under Williams’ 5-year-old child, who was strapped in a safety seat. The gun’s safety was off.