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Press Release

Greenville Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense and Obstruction of Justice

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina

GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that on September 11, 2017, in federal court, RICKY JAY BALL, 40, of Greenville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, altering a military discharge certificate, and two counts of obstruction of justice.

 

According to the Indictment and information in the public records, on June 3, 2016, officers with Greenville Police Department responded to BALL’s residence where they recovered a loaded firearm in his walk-in closet. BALL had a prior felony for possession of a firearm by felon, and had been recently charged by Greenville Police Department for impersonating a law enforcement officer.  BALL was on federal probation at the time of this offense, and a revocation hearing was scheduled for April 2017.

 

In April 2017, BALL obstructed justice by submitting false hospital records to a United States Magistrate Judge in order to get a continuance of his revocation hearing.  On May 17, 2017, during his revocation hearing in federal court, BALL again obstructed justice by presenting false letters from his employer and community service providers, false medical records, and an altered Military Discharge Certificate that misrepresented his reason for discharge from the United States Marine Corps.

 

On September 11, 2017, the Defendant pleaded guilty to all four counts in federal court. A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date.  BALL faces a maximum sentence of 41 years of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenville Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Peggah B. Wilson prosecuted the case for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Updated October 3, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Neighborhoods