Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms, Including a Machinegun

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced to prison today for illegally possessing multiple firearms, including a machinegun, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Lloyd Coleman, 44, of Huntersville, N.C., was ordered to serve 80 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

“Coleman knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, yet he armed himself with multiple guns, including a machinegun,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of those who should not have them in the first place is important for the safety of our communities, and we will prosecute them at the federal level.”  

According to court records, in December 2024, law enforcement learned that Coleman illegally possessed various firearms and suspected destructive devices. Court records show that Coleman had previously served time in prison for a state firearm conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Law enforcement searched a residence associated with Coleman where they located four AR-style rifles that Coleman had hidden in the attic. Law enforcement arrested Coleman and searched his apartment, where they found multiple firearms, including a short-barreled rifle with a high-capacity magazine, machineguns, firearm components, ammunition, five destructive devices (improvised grenades), and components to build destructive devices.

Coleman pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun in November 2025. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.

In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Huntersville Police Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their work on this case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

Updated August 12, 2026