Daniel P. Bubar Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina
An individual from Ahoskie, identified as Nyjawaun Ezell and known by the alias "Nike," has received a prison sentence of 71 months for being involved in firearm and drug-related offenses. Ezell, 28, entered a guilty plea regarding the charges on November 13, 2024.
Court documents reveal that Ezell, a leading figure within the G-Shine set of the Bloods gang, illegally acquired several firearms over a span of ten months. This occurred while he was under indictment for the alleged murder of a rival gang member in Hertford County. In one notable incident, Ezell attempted to buy an AR-style rifle at a local gun store, during which he falsely stated on an ATF gun-purchase form that he was not under a felony indictment, making him ineligible to purchase a firearm. Additionally, Ezell was found to have been dealing narcotics and other controlled substances in Hertford County during this period.
Ezell's guilty plea covered three counts of receiving a firearm while under felony indictment, one count of making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone.
The announcement of the sentence was made by Daniel P. Bubar, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, following the decision by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The incident was investigated by several agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the Down East Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick handled the prosecution.
Further information and related court documents are accessible on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or via PACER by searching Case No. 2:23-CR-22-FL-RJ.
