January 29, 2008
ST. ALBANS MAN SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS IN JAIL FOR
VIOLATING FEDERAL GUN LAWS
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Steven Murray, 45, of St. Albans, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions, III, to 46 months in prison for possessing firearms after having previously been convicted of a felony offense. After completing his federal prison sentence, Murray will begin serving a consecutive 5 to 15 year state prison sentence for aggravated domestic assault, a state charge unrelated to the federal conviction.
According to court records, Murray unlawfully possessed three guns between on or about October 14 and October 26, 2006 at his apartment at 73 Fairfield Street in St. Albans. Murray kept three rifles in a gun cabinet in the livingroom of his apartment. On October 16, 2006, he removed one of the rifles from the gun cabinet and brandished it in front of house guests. The guns were a Marlin, model 60, .22 caliber rifle; a Winchester, model Ranger, .30-30 caliber rifle; and a Savage, model 42 DLM, .22 caliber rifle. Murray has been previously convicted of aggravated domestic assault and breaking and entering a dwelling house, both felonies, in Franklin County on November 4, 2002 and June 2, 1981. As a consequence, Murray is prohibited from possessing firearms under the Federal Gun Control Act.
United States Attorney Thomas D. Anderson commended the cooperative effort of the ATF and the Northwest Unit for Special Investigations in the investigation of this crime. Murray is represented by Thomas Niksa. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy J. Creswell.
United States Attorney Anderson noted also that this prosecution was part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood, a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF, Project Safe Neighborhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who violate federal gun laws. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhood and Project Safe Vermont, please visit: www.psn.gov.
