Felon sentenced to at least 4 years in prison for promoting prostitution

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A convicted felon will face more time in prison after he admitted to promoting prostitution.

On November 27, Kalmeaice Kawanna Williams, 42, entered pleas of guilty to the Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and four counts of Promoting Prostitution in New Hanover Criminal Superior Court.

On September 17, 2014, just before 2:00 p.m., a young man reported an attempted robbery by calling emergency communications. The victim was selling a firearm, and Williams, along with two other men, set up a meeting to purchase the gun and then attempted to steal the unloaded gun. The victim pulled a loaded weapon on the men in defense. Williams pulled a handgun from his back pocket and attempted to point it at the victim, but Williams dropped the gun.

The victim kicked Williams’ gun so hard against the curb that the magazine popped out of the gun and some bullets came out of the magazine. Williams grabbed his gun from the ground and fled, leaving the magazine and bullets behind. Officers responded and located Williams at the Quality Inn on Market Street less than a block from the robbery. There were five women in the room with Williams. Detectives learned that Williams was paying for the room from the proceeds of prostitution.

Williams advertised the victims for prostitution services online and facilitated the meetings. The victims in this matter were addicted to heroin and were targeted by Williams based on their vulnerability. Officers were able to connect this investigation with a report that had been filed in August 2014 of two females who were being prostituted by Williams. These two females met Williams through buying heroin from him. One of the females was arrested for possession of heroin. Williams facilitated the posting of her bond, then had both women pay him back by engaging in prostitution.

The attempted armed robbery went to jury trial in 2015 and the defendant was convicted of attempted common law robbery and conspiracy to commit common law robbery. He was sentenced to 40-66 months active for those crimes. The jury was unable to reach a verdict in the count involving the defendant’s illegal possession of a firearm while a felon. The defendant took responsibility for this charge last week.

Williams was ordered to serve at least four years and a maximum of seven years in prison. Williams will begin serving this sentence when he finishes serving the robbery sentence for which he is currently in custody.