A Washington, D.C. man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegal firearm possession after a high-speed chase with minors in the vehicle. Tavon Everett Lee Vines, aged 32, pled guilty on September 16, 2024.
The incident occurred on January 6, 2021, when Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone stopped a vehicle driven by Vines. The sheriff observed Vines switching seats with a front-seat passenger and noticed three minor children in the back seat. Vines was seen holding a firearm under his shirt. A deputy attempted to remove Vines from the car, but he resisted, assaulted the deputy, and fled in the vehicle at speeds over 120 mph before crashing into a guardrail. The children were unharmed.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals...is a top priority,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone added that this case exemplifies their efforts against criminal violence in the county.
ATF Special Agent Bennie Mims emphasized the public safety threat posed by felons possessing firearms: “ATF and our law enforcement partners are focused on stopping those who endanger our communities.”
The case was investigated by several agencies including the Nash County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick.
Related documents can be accessed through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER using Case No. 5:23-cr-00147M-001.