Brunswick Co. man sentenced to decade in prison for drug, gun crimes

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Brunswick County man will spend a decade in federal prison for drug and gun crimes.

The US Attorney’s Office says a judge today sentenced Victor Demetrious Watson, 27, of Ash, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Watson was arrested in December 2017 after the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and ATF started investigating after getting an anonymous tip that Watson had stolen firearms and was in the process of moving them. Investigators used confidential informants to buy heroin from Watson at his home. They then got a search warrant for the house and a vehicle, where they say they found a .40 caliber handgun, a 9 mm handgun, ammunition, drugs and cash. Prosecutors say before being taken into federal custody, Watson admitted the guns and heroin were his. Law enforcement determined the guns had not been reported stolen.

In May 2018 Watson was indicted on three counts. In August he pleaded guilty to one count possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.