A Charlotte man previously convicted of a felony was sentenced on May 5 to a total of 108 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm while on federal supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address recidivism and ensure public safety. William Sedrick Rollerson, age 58, received a sentence that includes 60 months for violating conditions of his supervised release and an additional consecutive term of 48 months for illegal possession of a firearm. He will also serve two years under supervised release after completing his prison term.
“Supervised release exists to rehabilitate those who have served time in prison, help them reintegrate into society, and to keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not return to their life of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “It appears Mr. Rollerson very quickly returned to his life of crime, and he will therefore serve a sentence for his crime and an additional sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.”
Court records show that Rollerson had regular appointments at the federal probation office as part of his supervision following completion of an earlier lengthy prison term in the Western District of North Carolina. On April 24, 2025, during one such appointment at the Charlotte federal courthouse, he tested positive for cocaine use but denied drug use when confronted by probation officers. A subsequent search revealed a loaded Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with ammunition in Rollerson’s vehicle along with digital scales, baggies, an unknown gray powdery substance, and another magazine.
Rollerson pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He remains in custody awaiting transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons once designated.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Probation Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration and violent crime through coordinated national resources.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District handles prosecutions within its jurisdiction—including parts covering half the Great Smoky Mountains National Park—and employs nearly 100 prosecutors and staff across facilities in Charlotte and Asheville as part of broader public safety initiatives addressing issues like elder abuse and substance abuse according to its official website.
