Wilmington man guilty of drug and firearm charges

NEW BERN, NC (WWAY) – A Wilmington man faces at least five years behind bars after a federal grand jury found him guilty of drugs and firearms charges.

31-year-old Kristopher Owen Daniels was arrested May 31, 2014 after police responded to a 911 call requesting help at a home in Wilmington.

When police arrived, Daniels ran toward the backyard and threw a bag of crack and a gun while officers were chasing him.

A fence stopped Daniels from getting away, so he turned and threw marijuana at one of the officers.

Police got a search warrant for the home and found ammunition, money, marijuana seeds and another gun.

Today in federal court, a jury found Daniels guilty of four criminal charges: possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, knowingly used and carried a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

At sentencing, Daniels faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years behind bars and a maximum life sentence.