Lincoln County felon accused of trying to sell shotguns

A convicted felon and his wife were arrested after Lincoln County authorities said the couple tried to sell two semi-automatic Browning shotguns on a social media website.

Daniel Wayne Burnette, 35, of Maiden was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon and was freed on a $25,000 bail last week.

His wife, Dawn Pruitt Burnette, 44, was charged with felony aiding and abetting and was free on a $5,000 bail.

Daniel Burnette pleaded guilty in Lincoln County Superior Court in September 2006 to felony possession of cocaine and was placed on probation for three years.

Lincoln County sheriff’s detectives set up a buy of the weapons on the night of April 7 outside the Lowe’s Home Improvement store on N.C. 73 in Denver, authorities said.

Randolph County sheriff’s investigators had contacted them about Daniel Burnette trying to sell the shotguns on a website.

Lincoln County sheriff’s Detective Frank Runyon and two marked patrol units arrested the Burnettes outside the Lowe’s and seized two firearms worth $2,000 from the couple’s 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup truck, authorites said.

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 8:03 AM with the headline "Lincoln County felon accused of trying to sell shotguns."