WILMINGTON — Another conviction in Operation “Golfer” was announced Monday.
Tyzheem Nixon, 27, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan to 114 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. A validated gang member of the Bloods street gang, Nixon pled guilty to the charge on Sept. 15, 2022.
READ MORE: 2 men arrested in ‘Operation Golfer’ sentenced for drug trafficking, firearm charges
According to a press release, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information in November 2020 that Nixon was involved in a shooting in Wilmington. At the time, Nixon was on post-supervision release and officers believed he had removed his ankle monitor.
On Dec. 17, 2020, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force received information on his whereabouts and conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Nixon was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun with a large-capacity magazine.
“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners at every level to put violent criminals behind bars,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of N.C. Michael Easley said in the release. “If you are a felon in possession of a firearm, we will bring federal charges that carry significant penalties.”
Nixon has prior felony convictions for discharging a weapon into occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon from 2014. He is also facing charges for felonious possession of a weapon by a prison after allegedly possessing a handmade shank while at the New Hanover County Detention Center.
“Mr. Nixon is a career criminal and validated gang member with a very violent history,” District Attorney Ben David said in the release. “Removing him from our community for the next decade is exactly why we invest in this partnership.”
The arrest was part of Operation Golfer, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
“Disrupting drug trafficking networks has a significant impact on reducing violent gun crime,” Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims said in the release. “Through collaborative efforts, we are stopping the gang members and drug traffickers responsible for violent crime in our communities.”
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