Michael Wilson, a 24-year-old Jamaican national from Kingston, has been charged in federal court with possession of a firearm while being an alien unlawfully present in the United States. The charge was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. Wilson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on August 26, 2025, and was ordered detained pending trial.
Court records indicate that on June 28, 2025, near Dorset Street in South Burlington, Wilson shot another individual during a dispute that began at a bar the previous night. The victim was shot in the shoulder. After the incident, Wilson left Vermont and traveled to Connecticut where he was arrested.
The State of Vermont initially charged Wilson with attempted second-degree murder and reckless endangerment on June 30, 2025. However, on August 25, 2025, state authorities withdrew their request to hold him without bail, leading to his release from state custody.
A federal criminal complaint filed on July 1, 2025 states that Wilson entered the United States as a visitor in June 2023 but overstayed his visa and did not have legal status when he possessed the firearm used in the shooting. Following his release from state custody and due to a federal arrest warrant issued at the time of the complaint filing, Wilson was transferred into federal custody.
“This federal prosecution is an example of the vigilance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, working closely with the United States Border Patrol, to protect the public by enforcing federal firearms laws that prohibit the possession of firearms by foreign nationals who are here unlawfully,” said Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that these are allegations only and Wilson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, he faces up to fifteen years in prison; sentencing would be determined by District Court guidelines and statutory factors.
Multiple agencies assisted in this case including ATF and Border Patrol as well as local law enforcement such as South Burlington Police Department, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Winooski Police Department and Windsor Connecticut Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman is prosecuting this case while Michael Wilson is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett Jr.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and violent crime through coordinated efforts involving DOJ resources such as OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
