Details: Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Vermont
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 8, 2021
Scott Phillips Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Scott Phillips, 36, of Mechanicville, New York, was arraigned today after having been indicted by the grand jury for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Phillips pleaded not guilty at today’s hearing. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Phillips detained pending further proceedings.
According to court records, Phillips possessed a loaded pistol in Winooski, Vermont, on July 16, 2021. Officers encountered Phillips that day when responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle. Phillips attempted to drive away when a police officer approached him, dragging the officer a short distance. A search of Phillips’ car yielded a pistol, ammunition, and suspected controlled substances. Phillips is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due to his criminal record.
If convicted of the charge alleged in the federal indictment, Phillips faces a maximum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Acting United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. |