RALEIGH, N.C. - A Lumberton man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to the offenses on Oct. 1, 2021.
According to court records and evidence presented in court, Emanuel Lee McPherson, 32, was convicted for carjacking and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The evidence presented showed that on June 7, 2020, the Lumberton Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a seatbelt violation. Law enforcement contacted the driver and a passenger, Emanuel Lee McPherson, who provided the investigator with a fake name. While investigating the stop, law enforcement learned that McPherson was a convicted felon with active warrants for his arrest.
During the traffic stop, the vehicle suddenly fled the scene at a high rate of speed, and McPherson leaned out of the passenger vehicle, firing multiple rounds from a handgun in the direction of law enforcement. The vehicle traveled through Lumberton at a high rate of speed in excess of 100 mph, nearly colliding with other vehicles. McPherson eventually threw a firearm from the passenger window, and the gun was later recovered by law enforcement. McPherson was apprehended shortly thereafter. The evidence and witness testimony revealed that McPherson held the driver of the vehicle at gunpoint, threatening the driver’s life, if McPherson’s commands were not followed. McPherson has a significant criminal history and has been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including a conviction for indecent liberties with a child.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Lumberton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Rhoades prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR-123-BO.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
