Henderson, N.C. — A Henderson man who fired at officers and led them on a two-mile chase was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney General George Holding announced Thursday.

Christopher Hasan Gay, 32, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. His prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.

Prosecutors said that Henderson police got reports that occupants of a vehicle were firing gunshots along State Route 1001 on Jan. 2, 2009.

Once the vehicle was pulled over, Gay jumped out, then pulled out a Ruger 9 mm pistol and pointed it at his head, prosecutors said. During a scuffle, Gay fired at officers, prompting them to shoot back.

He managed to get back into the car and drive off, leading police on a 2-mile, high-speed chase before crashing, prosecutors said.

"Every day officers put themselves in danger. When they make a stop, they never know what will happen," Holding said in a statement. "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to law enforcement officers as each day they lay their lives on the line to protect us."

Gay had 10 previous state convictions dating to 1998, including dealing drugs and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to state Department of Correction records. He served one 11-month jail sentence in 2007 and 2008.