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Crime & Courts

Burlington Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Firearms Dealing

Akeem Alphonso Maynard, 33, of Burlington, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison for dealing in firearms without a license.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 28, 2026, 8:26 p.m. ET
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On August 28, 2026, Akeem Alphonso Maynard, 33, of Burlington, North Carolina, was to 30 months in prison for dealing in firearms without a license, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of North Carolina. Maynard appeared before Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., and was also to three years of supervised release. He had been charged by federal indictment in February 2026 and pleaded guilty in June 2026. The case stemmed from a March 11, 2025, search of a fentanyl dealer's Burlington apartment, during which the Alamance County Sheriff's Office found a handgun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that Maynard was the original purchaser of that firearm. Further investigation showed that Maynard had purchased 16 firearms between June 16, 2023, and February 26, 2026. Seven of those firearms were later recovered by law enforcement, including the one found in March 2025. Recovered text messages showed Maynard offered to purchase firearms for others for a $120 to $150 fee. Maynard also failed to state his correct address on the required ATF Form 4473. U.S. Attorney Dan Bishop announced the sentence and thanked the ATF and the Alamance County Sheriff's Office for their investigation. "Today we shut down one conduit of illegal firearms sales in this District, thanks to our law enforcement partners' investigation," Bishop said. "This should serve as a message to anyone who seeks to put guns in the wrong hands."

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  1. Version 129 Aug 2026, 00:26current

    First published.

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