Burlington, Vermont Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Gun and Assault Case

Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 30, 2024, Hasan Williams, 27, recently of Burlington, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 60 months' imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Williams previously pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded handgun after having been convicted of a felony, specifically assault and robbery in 2016.

According to court records, Burlington Police Department responded to a late-night call shortly after midnight between August 27-28, 2023 in downtown Burlington regarding a possible assault and possession of a firearm. When police arrived, they located Williams walking away from the call location and on the grounds of the Chittenden County Superior Court. Police approached Williams who denied being involved in the alleged assault. The police asked Williams if he had a gun on him and he replied that he did not. Williams was wearing a shoulder bag that the police stated they wanted to remove without looking inside, knowing that another recent call involved someone with a similar shoulder bag containing a gun. Williams refused to comply, turned his back on the officer and began reaching for the shoulder bag. Williams instigated an altercation with the officer, punching him in the head before four additional officers and a civilian helped restrain Williams. After the altercation, the zipper on Williams's shoulder bag had opened, making plainly visible a handgun inside. Police obtained a search warrant for the shoulder bag which contained a loaded handgun.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated: "I want to thank the officers and agents of the Burlington Police Department and the ATF for their vigilance and care investigating and apprehending the defendant in this case, which is another example of members of law enforcement putting themselves at risk while protecting this community."

"Firearms in the hands of violent felons are a major driver of additional violent crime in our communities," said ATF Boston Field Division Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson. "The sentence handed down today delivers a clear message: violent offenders will be held accountable. ATF remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding our neighborhoods, with the reduction of gun violence as a top priority."

"Getting violent criminals off the street is a key responsibility for law enforcement," said Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad. "I'm grateful for our federal partners and the fair but effective sentences they win. The community is safer when such offenders are incarcerated not only because the offenders can't hurt more people from prison, but also because these types of offenders tend to be 'violence drivers,' who make others around them more prone to violence, as well. Thanks to the great work by our officers and by the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office, that's what happened here."

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Owyang. Williams was represented by Timothy B. Fair, Esq. and Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven L. Barth.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.