ALBANY, NY—Andrew Miller, 38, from Schenectady, New York, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to illegally purchase a shotgun, which was later used in a shooting incident outside Temple Israel. The plea was entered in federal court in Albany, announced by U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and key representatives from the FBI and ATF.
Miller confessed to conspiring with Mufid Fawaz Alkhader between October and November 2023, misleading a firearms dealer into believing he was the legitimate buyer of a Kel-Tec 12-gauge pump shotgun.
The actual intended recipient, Alkhader, was believed to be unable to lawfully purchase the weapon. Miller falsified information on the ATF Form 4473 during the purchase, which culminated in him handing over the shotgun to Alkhader on November 6, 2023.
This firearm was subsequently used by Alkhader in a shooting outside Temple Israel on December 7, 2023. The repercussions of this act led to a swift investigation and legal proceedings against both individuals involved.
Miller is set to be sentenced on October 18, 2024, by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release post-imprisonment. Meanwhile, Alkhader faces charges related to firearms offenses, though he remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being handled by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, ATF, Albany Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping, highlighting a collaborative effort to address and prosecute crimes involving illegal firearms transactions and their subsequent use in violent acts.
