Milton Man Charged with Stolen Firearms Offenses

Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont stated that John Turner, 53, of Milton, Vermont, was indicted on federal charges alleging that Turner conspired with others in July 2019 to possess stolen firearms. He was arrested on those charges and arraigned on the indictment on July 17, 2024. He was released on conditions. If convicted, Turner faces a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.

According to court records, Tuner conspired with others to steal several firearms from a residence in Colchester, Vermont. Those firearms included four handguns. The indictment alleges that one of the handguns was used to murder a man on July 11, 2019. Kory George and Angela Auclair have been charged in Vermont state court with conspiring to murder David Auclair on July 11, 2019. George has pleaded guilty to those charges and been sentenced. Auclair is still facing a state murder conspiracy charge.

The indictment is an accusation only and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, any sentence will be determined by the U.S. District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

The investigation resulting in these charges was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vermont State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Van de Graaf is handling the prosecution for the government. Turner is represented by Karen Shingler, Esq.

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.