Wilmington gang member sentenced to 9.5 years in prison
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man will spend the next 9.5 years in prison for firearm charges.
27-year-old Tyzheem Nixon was sentenced on Friday to 114 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nixon is a validated member of the Bloods street gang, according to a press release. He pled guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022.
“Mr. Nixon is a career criminal and validated gang member with a very violent history,” District Attorney Ben David said. “Removing him from our community for the next decade is exactly why we invest in this partnership.”
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information in late November of 2020, that Nixon was among those involved in a shooting in the Wilmington area. At the time, Nixon was on post supervision release and was believed to have removed his ankle monitor.
On December 17, 2020, the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force received information regarding Nixon’s location. The USMS and sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Nixon was a passenger. During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded handgun with a large capacity magazine.
Nixon has prior felony convictions for discharging a weapon into an occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon (2014). Nixon was on post supervision release for these charges at the time he committed this federal offense. Nixon is also facing charges for felonious possession of a weapon by a prisoner after allegedly possessing a handmade shank while being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center.
