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 an announcement by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Sedrick Rollerson, age 58, received a sentence consisting of 60 months for violating his supervised release conditions and an additional consecutive term of 48 months for the new firearms offense. He will also serve two years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address repeat offenses among individuals released from prison under supervision. “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,” Ferguson said. “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 was required to attend regular appointments at the federal probation office as part of his supervision following completion of a previous lengthy prison term in the Western District of North Carolina. On April 24, 2025, during one such appointment at the Charlotte federal courthouse, he was informed that he had tested positive for cocaine use—a result which he denied and attempted to explain away. Probation officers then searched Rollerson’s vehicle parked outside and discovered a loaded Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with eight rounds in the magazine and one round chambered. They also found digital scales, baggies, an unknown gray powdery substance, and another .40 caliber magazine.
Rollerson pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons once facility designation is complete.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Probation Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative focused on countering illegal immigration activities as well as eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina prosecutes federal crimes—including cases like this—and handles civil matters within its jurisdiction covering parts such as half the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and serving communities including Charlotte and Asheville through nearly 100 prosecutors and staff members working alongside law enforcement partners according to its official website.
