June 2, 2008

JAMES RAAB, GENE DUMAS JAILED ON FIREARMS CHARGES

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District
of Vermont announced that James Raab, 27, of Winooski, and Gene Dumas, 27, of Burlington, have been sentenced to federal prison following their guilty pleas in United States District Court in Burlington to federal firearms charges. In court today, Chief U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III sentenced Raab to 48 months of imprisonment. Late last month, Dumas was sentenced to 25 months' imprisonment. Both defendants were ordered to serve two-year terms of supervised release following completion of their prison sentence.

On July 19, 2007, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a three count indictment charging Raab and Dumas with possessing firearms as convicted felons, possessing stolen firearms and conspiracy. The charges stemmed from the burglary of a gunshop in Milton in April 2005 during which 11 handguns were stolen. Federal agents quickly arrested Donny Therrien and Michael Sumner and both admitted to breaking into the gun store and stealing the guns. At the time agents arrested Therrien and Sumner, they recovered seven of the stolen guns, but the remaining four were not found. Shortly after the burglary, Raab and Dumas traded fake cocaine to Therrien for three of the four missing guns. Raab and Dumas later disposed of those weapons in some unknown way. Raab and Dumas are prohibited from possessing any firearms because they have prior felony convictions.

Therrien and Sumner also pled guilty to federal firearms charges for their role in stealing the guns and were sentenced to prison.

This case was investigated by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Raab is represented by Frank Twarog and Dumas by Bud Allen. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.