Federal Convict Arrested for Armed Sexual Assault Days After Unexpected Release From Prison

Reginald Moses faces new rape charges in Charlotte after being released early from a federal sentence for a 20-gun heist at an arms dealer.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 23, 2026, 7:59 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Charlotte Observer

A Violent Reoccurrence Following Early Release

A Charlotte man previously convicted in a significant federal firearms theft is back in custody facing a series of severe felony charges. Reginald Marsaeus Moses, 22, was arrested shortly after his release from federal prison, accused of orchestrating an armed sexual assault alongside an unidentified accomplice. The timing of the alleged crime has raised significant questions regarding the oversight of federal inmates, as Moses had only recently transitioned back into the community before the reported encounter took place near Old Concord Road.

The History of the Firearm Heist

The legal history of the defendant stems from a February 2024 incident involving a coordinated robbery at Carolina Sporting Arms on South Boulevard. During that heist, Moses and a group of several teenagers utilized three vehicles to ram into the storefront, successfully making off with twenty firearms, including eighteen handguns, a shotgun, and a rifle. While a federal judge handed down a sentence of over two years in August 2025, the actual time served in a federal facility appears to have been limited to roughly five months after accounting for time spent in local jail while awaiting trial.

Discrepancies in Federal Sentencing Timelines

Despite the initial judicial mandate that would have seen the defendant incarcerated until the conclusion of 2026, Moses was granted release in January of this year. Both the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals Service in Charlotte have declined to provide specific details regarding the rationale for this early exit, citing federal privacy protections. Generally, federal prisoners may see their terms reduced through participation in specific recidivism reduction programs or by transitioning to halfway house environments, yet the specific pathway used in this instance remains shielded from public view.