William Thompson, Machine Gun Possession, Kentucky 2022

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Machine Gun Possession Lands Local Man in Hot Water

A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, has returned an indictment charging William Thompson, 31, with illegally possessing a machine gun and possessing a firearm after having been prohibited. The charges stem from an incident that took place on June 16, 2022, when Thompson knowingly possessed a machine gun, a Glock Switch bearing no serial number, and a firearm after having previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

According to court documents, Thompson is charged with two counts: illegal possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, he faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

Thompson is currently in state custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and will be scheduled for his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky once he is transferred to federal custody.

The ATF and Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuting the charges. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood, the centerpiece of the federal government’s violent crime reduction efforts.

Project Safe Neighborhood is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through this program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.