A man from Hope Mills, North Carolina, has been sentenced to the maximum statutory term of 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a firearm charge. Jeremy Shane Gentry, Jr., age 30, received this sentence from Chief United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles in Greensboro. In addition to the 120-month imprisonment, Gentry will face three years of supervised release.
The events leading to Gentry's conviction occurred on January 14, 2022. Deputies from the Lee County Sheriff's Office were called to Sanford, North Carolina, after a report described a white male wearing a hoodie and jeans carrying a firearm. Deputies identified Gentry as the individual fitting that description. Despite asking Gentry if he consented to a pat-down for weapons, which he refused, Deputies Amezquita and Thomas proceeded for safety reasons. Gentry attempted to move away, dropped his bag, and reached for his hip, revealing a Sig Sauer .45 caliber handgun, which he used to fire at Deputies Amezquita and Holmes, hitting the latter’s protective vest.
According to court findings, Gentry had the intention to kill the deputies. He attempted to shoot himself, but the gun malfunctioned. At the time of the incident and his arrest, Gentry was legally prohibited from firearm possession due to previous felony convictions related to human trafficking and promoting prostitution in 2018.
Gentry pleaded guilty to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm on December 6, 2024. Charges in Lee County related to this incident remain unresolved.
This case was a collaborative effort between the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner L. Kroeger and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham led the prosecution.