GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A former North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) trooper has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for selling guns.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Timothy Jay Norman, 47, of Browns Summit was sentenced Thursday for unlawfully transporting and dealing firearms.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation learned back in January last year Norman was selling guns to different people, including a convicted felon while employed as a trooper with the State Highway Patrol, according to court-filed documents.
The FBI learned Norman held out for sale, using the convicted felon as a “middleman” regarding different guns, which included decommissioned NCSGP service weapons, such as Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistols; Arma Lite, AR-15 5.56mm semi-automatic rifles, and Beretta, Model 1201FP, 12-gauge shotguns.
Law enforcement agencies held three successful controlled purchase operations afterwards.
Investigators used a confidential person, who purchased a decommissioned Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistol, with the NCSHP badge engraved on top of the slide, in a case with two magazines, for $1,600 from Norman back in early May last year.
Law enforcement also used a source to buy a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun and an Arma Lite AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, one magazine, one soft black case, and one 50-round drum magazine from Norman at his home in Browns Summit, for $3,200 back around June 8 last year.
Officials said law enforcement held a third successful controlled firearms evidence purchase from Norman around June 24 last year, where he sold a NCSHP Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistol from his patrol car to a source at a closed gas station.
Norman received $2,000 in FBI case funds in exchange for the decommissioned weapon.
Federal Firearms Licensee records show where Norman bought the guns and show he made a significant profit from the different transactions, according to the DOJ.
Records also showed Norman bought 36 guns from the FFL since January 1 last year.
Investigating agencies held a search warrant on Norman’s home and seized thousands of rounds of ammunition and over 50 guns back on July 7 last year.
Investigators found two more guns in Norman’s patrol car, neither of which were NCSHP-issued, including one AR-15 rifle Norman bought from the FFL earlier that year.
There was also an envelope with over $2,000 in cash, which included FBI buy money from a controlled buy operation.
Officials said Norman was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and will face three years of supervised release in addition to his 37-month prison sentence.
Stay connected to local, national, and breaking news: Download the WFMY News 2 app.
►Text the word APP to 336-379-5775