Christopher Morgan, Unlawful Firearm Possession, Vermont 2023

RUTLAND, VT – A young man from Massachusetts is headed to federal prison after being caught with a loaded handgun and narcotics in Bennington, Vermont last year. Christopher Morgan, 20, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day behind bars by Chief Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford of the U.S. District Court on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.

Morgan previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm as an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The bust unfolded on October 13, 2022, when Bennington police encountered Morgan carrying a Smith & Wesson 37 revolver in a bag slung across his chest. The weapon wasn’t just present; it was loaded with five rounds and a round chambered, ready to fire.

But the gun wasn’t the only illegal item in Morgan’s possession. Inside the same bag, officers also discovered a small quantity of glassine bags filled with heroin and fentanyl – two of the deadliest drugs fueling the opioid crisis. During questioning, Morgan readily admitted to being a heroin user, confirming he was addicted to the substance at the time he was carrying the firearm.

This case represents a dangerous intersection of drug addiction and gun violence, a pattern federal authorities are increasingly focused on disrupting. U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the joint efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bennington Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in bringing Morgan to justice. These agencies worked together to dismantle a potential threat and remove an illegally possessed weapon from the streets.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne Smith and Jonathan Ophardt prosecuted the case. Morgan was represented at sentencing by Allan Sullivan, Esq. The government’s case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The program prioritizes building trust, supporting preventative organizations, and strategically focusing enforcement efforts.

Following his year-and-a-day prison term, Morgan will face a 3-year period of supervised release. This extended supervision is intended to provide support and monitoring as he re-enters society, and to hopefully prevent a repeat offense. The Department of Justice hopes the PSN program, and cases like Morgan’s, will contribute to safer neighborhoods across the country.

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