The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Kendall Liberty, 21, of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced today to 6 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three months of home confinement and two years of supervised release, following his conviction for possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of controlled substances. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III announced the sentence following a hearing in the federal courthouse in Burlington. At the conclusion of the hearing, Liberty was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service to begin his sentence.
According to court records, Liberty pleaded guilty to the firearm offense on December 20, 2021. The defendant acknowledged having purchased a 7.62-millimeter AK-style rifle from Powderhorn Outdoor Sports Center in Williston, Vermont in September 2020. The defendant further acknowledged having consumed marijuana on a frequent and regular basis between September 2020 and his arrest on July 20, 2021. As described in the complaint affidavit, witnesses indicated that Liberty also frequently used cocaine, ecstasy, and alprazolam (Xanax) during that period. Witnesses also described Liberty having made threats to use the firearm against others, including at a hospital, at Oakledge Park, and at a school.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the South Burlington Police Department for their quick response and ongoing support in the case, and he thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for its assistance in the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher handled the prosecution. Liberty was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
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