Connecticut Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Connection With Theft of Firearms from St. Albans Gun Shop

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 16, 2024, Jonathan Mitchell, 33, of Meriden, Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to stealing three firearms and conspiring to straw-purchase a firearm from a federal firearms licensee in St. Albans, Vermont.

According to court records, in July of 2023, Mitchell provided a co-conspirator $300 to purchase a firearm for him from the gun shop in St. Albans. Mitchell could not legally purchase or possess the firearm himself because  of prior convictions arising out of an armed kidnapping and home invasion for which he was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. The transaction was delayed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and, several days later, Mitchell and a second co-conspirator returned to the gun shop and stole three firearms from its inventory. Mitchell was arrested in Connecticut in November of 2023.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated, “Straw purchases and thefts of firearms lead to violence in our communities. It is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to keep Vermonters safe from violence, and, as this case exemplifies, we continue to use significant resources to address crimes associated with violence in Vermont.” U.S. Attorney Kerest also commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

“When firearms are stolen from federal firearm licensees, they often end up fueling gun violence in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division James M. Ferguson “We are grateful for the strong collaboration between our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors, whose efforts are essential in investigating and prosecuting these critical cases. Together, we are working to keep our communities safer by preventing stolen guns from being used in violent crimes.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Burris. Mitchell was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.

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.