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EUGENE, Ore. – Shawn Sherman Wilson, Jr., 27, of Harrisburg, Oregon, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for dealing heroin and illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Wilson in July 2017 after receiving a tip from a confidential source that he was trafficking heroin in and around Eugene. An undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) contacted Wilson and arranged to purchase an ounce of heroin. They agreed to meet on July 24, 2017 in front of Taylor’s Bar & Grill, a popular night spot in Eugene near the University of Oregon.
At the meeting location, the ATF agent entered Wilson’s car, sitting in the front passenger seat. Wilson had a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol sitting between his legs with the pistol’s handle positioned for easy access. The agent said “I see you got the heat.” Wilson replied, “yeah, while I’m running around town.” Wilson grabbed the firearm and showed it to the agent, telling the agent the firearm belonged to his girlfriend and he was interested in purchasing another.
The ATF agent subsequently completed the heroin purchase, giving Wilson $1,200 in cash. Wilson was later arrested in Douglas County on August 6, 2017. When arrested, Wilson possessed a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol matching the description of the firearm observed by the undercover agent during the controlled buy.
Wilson previously pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 30, 2018.
This case was investigated by ATF and prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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