A Robeson County man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of a machine gun. The sentencing follows an incident at the Anubis Hookah Lounge in Fayetteville, where Michai Jamill Caldwell fired shots from a .40 caliber firearm modified with a switch to function as a machine gun. Caldwell, 24, had pleaded guilty to the charge on October 9, 2024.
Court documents reveal that on June 6, 2024, Caldwell was involved in a disagreement at the lounge which escalated into an altercation involving several patrons and the bouncer. After being escorted out and the establishment closed, Caldwell returned with another person and was confronted by security. During this confrontation, he fired shots that injured multiple victims; one victim lost her right eye and two others were seriously hurt.
Following the shooting, Caldwell fled and led police on a high-speed chase through traffic but managed to evade arrest initially. He was apprehended later on June 21, 2024.
The conviction is part of the Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative aimed at addressing significant drivers of violent crime through strategic enforcement and interagency coordination. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.
The case was investigated by the Fayetteville Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx prosecuting.
Further details can be accessed via related court documents available on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER under Case No. 7:24-cr-66-BO-BM.