ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A 32-year-old convicted felon was sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegally possessing firearms and shooting at officers during a standoff.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King sentenced Martin Medina to 168 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Probation officers planned to conduct a warrantless search at Medina’s residence in Swain County at around 1:10 p.m. on June 14, 2022. Upon arrival, officers met with Medina before he ran inside his home.
While one officer attempted to negotiate with Medina, other deputies noticed shell casings in the driveway, indicating that he was illegally in possession of a firearm.
Law enforcement was met with gunfire when they used non-lethal gas in an attempt to get Medina out. Throughout a five-hour standoff, Medina occasionally fired at police outside and even caused a non-fatal injury to one officer.
After more negotiation, Medina surrendered and was taken into custody at 5:51 p.m.
Officials said the officers searched Medina’s home and found the following:
- Five firearms, including three shotguns
- Assorted ammunition
- Extended magazines loaded to capacity for all weapons
- Two ballistic vests
- A ballistic helmet
- Night vision goggles
- A gas mask
- Various fixed-blade knives
- Suspected marijuana
- Several thousand dollars in cash
Medina was previously convicted on federal charges in 2012 for abusive sexual contact, officials said. He served a prison sentence and was ordered a lifetime of supervised release, among a list of terms that included warrantless searches of him and his residence.
Miles Ruder
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