NEW BERN – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced KENTRELL VENABLE, 26, of Henderson, North Carolina, to 52 months imprisonment.
A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on September 20, 2011, charging VENABLE with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At his arraignment on February 14, 2012, VENABLE pled guilty to the charge.
According to evidence presented in court, on July 31, 2011, a family member made two calls to 911, claiming that VENABLE destroyed personal property at the family member’s residence and that he had a firearm. When law enforcement arrived, VENABLE was on the front porch of the residence with a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun. The family member told law enforcement that VENABLE had pointed the gun at her.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Henderson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette is prosecuting the case.
52 months for possession of a firearm? It may seem a bit harsh but this is the same Kentrell Venable who did less than 7 years on a CONVICTION where he repeatedly stomped/kicked another black man to death less than 10 years ago. I don’t have time to pull up the Dept. of Corrections dates but talk about the ultimate slap on the wrist? Good job HPD b/c we all know that if the gun charge would have been handled in the Vance County Courts he probably would have gotten no worse than PROBATION.
I have know this young man for 15+years and to say he is a product of his enviroment would be an understatement. For those of you parents who do drugs/drink/commit felonies in front of your children…..guess what happens? They become what they see/hear/smell!!!!
Without a shadow of a doubt, Henderson is a little safer with Kentrell Venable behind bars. KUDOS TO HPD!!!!
My curiousity got the best of me and I had to check the facts. The “murder” that was subsequently a conviction of manslaughter happened 1-1-05 and he was released around 4-1-10. So he will pull more FED time than STATE time for the gun charge than he did for killing another black male. WOW!!!!! Can you see the difference in the FEDS and the LOCALS?
I wasn’t sure if my prior post was sent so here goes: My curiousity got the best of me and I did a Dept. of Corrections check on Kentrell and found out that he was charged on 1-5-05 after a New Year’s Eve Party in the North Henderson section of town. He was found GUILTY of Manslaughter in Vance County’s Courts and was released from the DOC sometime around April,2010. So with the GUN charge he will have to pull more time than he got for killing another BLACK MALE!! Do you see what the problem is with the local Courts? That’s the difference in handling things locally and letting them get into the FEDERAL COURTS. Without a shadow of a doubt, if he would have been tried for the possession charge in the local Courts I would dare say he would get 2-3 years PROBATION!!!! Thanks to Chief Sidwell for having the insight and guts to get as many of these cases into the FEDERAL COURTS. Nothing left to say but JOB WELL DONE!!!!
52 months for possession of gun……vs. less than 4 1/2 years for killing another human being? But in the local Courts it counts as a CONVICTION although it was a conviction for Manslaughter instead of Murder. Too bad Charles’ life didn’t mean that much to the Courts of Vance County. R.I.P. CHARLES!!!!
Chief Sidwell is the best thing to happen to Henderson for sure. If I am correct, you’ll see more of the Federal Convictions. There are laws which do get habitual felons off our streets folks!
I agree with you both. Great work HPD, Chief Sidwell, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, and United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker and anyone else involved in this.