GREENVILLE ROBBERS SENTENCED

WILMINGTON – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced two defendants for their participation in a rash of robberies in and around Greenville, North Carolina. DEMETRIUS MONTEL TELFAIR, 31, was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release. His co-defendant, COURTNEY EMANUEL GOODING, 24, received 181 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release. The Court imposed restitution, jointly and severally, of $3,924.00.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on October 11, 2011. On March 13, 2012, each defendant pled guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or possession of a firearm in furtherance of the crime.

According to evidence presented in Court, on June 6, 2011, the defendants robbed the Bojangles' restaurant on East 10th Street in Greenville. GOODING brandished a handgun during the robbery. They escaped with approximately $3,900. On June 18, 2011, they robbed the Bojangles' restaurant on Parkwood Boulevard West in Wilson, North Carolina, again with GOODING brandishing a handgun. Law enforcement was called immediately and the defendants' vehicle was located based upon descriptions given by victims at the restaurant. Police officers stopped the vehicle, but the defendant's both fled on foot. Each was apprehended, and the money from the Wilson robbery was recovered. The firearm, a .380 caliber pistol, was recovered from GOODING's pocket.

This case was part of the PSN initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified "team effort" against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the ATF, Wilson Police Department and the Greenville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney John Bennett prosecuted the case.