The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Michael Brillon, 59, of West Haven, Vermont was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Brillon to serve a 2-year term of supervised release after his incarceration.
According to court records, a collaborative stolen property investigation of the Winhall, Wilmington, Fair Haven, and Bennington Police Departments and the Vermont State Police resulted in the execution of a search warrant at Brillon’s property in West Haven on January 6, 2022. During the investigation, local law enforcement had learned that Brillon was alleged to possess firearms and had been making threatening statements. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations assisted in the search, which resulted in the seizure of a SAR Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol, two rifles, and a large quantity of marijuana consistent with an intent to distribute. Brillon has a long criminal history including felony convictions for sexual assault on a minor and aggravated domestic assault. Those convictions prohibit Brillon from possessing firearms under federal law.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Winhall, Wilmington, Fair Haven, and Bennington Police Departments and the Vermont State Police, and the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Brillon was represented by Richard Bothfeld, 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