Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Michael Williams was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 96 months’ imprisonment for setting fire to a vehicle at the home of a victim-witness who was expected to testify at trial in United States v. Robert Sylvester Kelly, also known as “R. Kelly,” a case pending in the Eastern District of New York (“the Kelly case”). Williams set the car on fire in order to intimidate the victim-witness and prevent her from cooperating with the government’s investigation in the case. The amount of restitution will be determined by the Court at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“In a violent act designed to instill fear and stop a witness from testifying at trial, Williams set fire to the victim’s vehicle in the middle of the night while it was parked outside of a residence occupied by four adults and two children. Intimidating witnesses and threatening the safety of crime victims undermine the very fabric of our judicial system and will never be tolerated,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will bring all of its resources to bear against those who commit dangerous acts of violence to silence victims and interfere with the administration of justice.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the HSI Field Offices in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Field Offices in Savannah, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida; the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations; the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Florida; the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Florida; the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Florida and the Valdosta Police Department, Georgia, for their assistance in this case.
“Williams attempted to use violence and intimidation to divert the course of justice and prevent a victim’s voice from being heard. HSI continues to stand alongside our partners to maintain the integrity of the judicial process and support the brave individuals who come forward to testify in criminal proceedings,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Patel.
On June 11, 2020, Williams poured gasoline around an SUV parked outside of a residence in Florida where a victim-witness in the Kelly case was staying and set fire to the vehicle. At the time the arson was committed, there were four adults, including the victim-witness in the Kelly case, and two children inside the home. Williams committed the arson to prevent the victim-witness from continuing to cooperate in the Kelly case. The victim-witness’s mother called 911 and told the 911 operator that her grandchildren, whose cries can be heard in the background of the call, were in the home and they were unsure if it was safe to remain in the house given the fire risk outside. The vehicle, leased by the victim’s father, was heavily damaged. Fire investigators also detected an accelerant along the outside perimeter of the residence. Williams had previously made internet searches about the detonation properties of fertilizer and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering, and countries that do not have extradition agreements with the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Cruz Melendez, Elizabeth Geddes and Nadia Shihata are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL WILLIAMS
Age: 38
Valdosta, Georgia
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-395 (AMD)
Civil Rights
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