Hickory Man Gets 77 Months In Federal Prison

U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell Thursday (February 18) sentenced a Hickory man to 77 months in prison for a federal firearms violation. Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina announced the sentencing of 31-year-old Chaetez Sean Clayton, who was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

According to filed court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2020, Clayton sold a loaded Springfield .40 caliber pistol with a high capacity magazine and a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol for $1,000 in cash. A jury found Clayton guilty in June 2021 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Clayton was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his 2015 federal conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their investigation of Clayton’s case, and thanked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Hickory Police Department, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance. ATF and CMPD handled the investigation into Drayton.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY