David Christopher Ballard, a 45-year-old resident of Catawba, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 87 months in prison with an additional two years of supervised release for possessing multiple illegal firearms, including a machine gun. The announcement was made by Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Joining Cameron in the announcement were Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.
Court documents and information from the sentencing hearing revealed that on December 27, 2022, deputies from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve arrest warrants on Ballard for domestic assault and communicating threats. Ballard was located traveling on I-40 and arrested without incident. During the investigation, it was found that Ballard had instructed another individual to dispose of his machine gun upon realizing he would be arrested.
Deputies dispatched to Ballard's residence discovered numerous loaded firearms and ammunition during their search. Among these were a Spikes Tactical ST-15 rifle modified for automatic fire, a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, a Glock 22 .45 caliber pistol, a Bushmaster XM-15 rifle, a Mossberg 12 Gauge shotgun with an ammunition drum, suppressors, loaded magazines with various calibers, and additional ammunition barrels.
The investigation uncovered that Ballard had threatened his ex-wife multiple times and once held the Spikes Tactical rifle to her head. In an interview with law enforcement officers, Ballard admitted possession of all seized weapons and confirmed converting one rifle into a fully automatic weapon. Court records indicate he has prior felony convictions prohibiting him from firearm or ammunition possession.
Ballard remains in federal custody pending transfer to a designated federal facility under the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron expressed gratitude to both ATF and Catawba County Sheriff's Office for their work on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Boykin prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies at all levels and community involvement within the Western District.