July 1, 2009

BARRE MAN SENTENCED FOR FIREARMS VIOLATION

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on June 29, 2009, Adam Saldi, 31, of Barre, Vermont, was sentenced to twelve months and one day imprisonment, followed by two years supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was imposed by Chief Judge William K. Sessions III. The Court actually found 21 months to be the proper sentence but reduced that by nine months to reflect time served in state prison because of the federal charges.

Court records show that Saldi admitted that he assisted a friend, now deceased of a drug overdose, in trading two stolen pistols for a small amount of crack cocaine. The buyer of the firearms later sold them, with some crack cocaine, to an undercover officer posing as a drug buyer.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the State Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Gelber prosecuted the case. Adam Saldi was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Alison S. Arms.

Acting U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf noted that this prosecution is 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 the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 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.