Source: United States Department of Justice News
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on September 7, 2022, Stephen Salyer, 42, formerly of Underhill, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Rutland, Vermont to serve 40 months in prison after his guilty plea to one count of being in possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Salyer to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a $100 special assessment.
According to court records and proceedings, on September 21, 2021, the Winooski, Vermont Police Department received a report that a man was in possession of a firearm on a public street. Officers responded and encountered Salyer. Upon discovering that Salyer was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant, officers took him into custody. At that time, they discovered that Salyer was in possession of a 9mm High Point Luger C9 handgun. In 2019, Salyer had been convicted of Assault and Robbery with a Weapon and Eluding Law Enforcement Officer – Negligent Operation.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Winooski, Vermont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in the investigation and prosecution of Salyer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara A. Masterson handled the prosecution of Salyer. Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara M. Puls represented Salyer.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psn