U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest | U.S. Department of Justice
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Jacob McKenna, 38, from Jeffersonville, Vermont, was sentenced on December 17, 2024. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss ordered a sentence of time served followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Jacob McKenna had earlier pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with acquiring a firearm.
Court records indicate that on October 28, 2022, Jacob McKenna visited a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in Williston, Vermont. During his visit, he completed an ATF Form 4473 and falsely claimed not to be an illegal drug user while purchasing a nine-millimeter pistol. He returned to the same FFL on January 5, 2023, attempting to purchase two more pistols. On January 6, he admitted during questioning to buying firearms for individuals prohibited from possessing them legally.
On July 26, 2024, United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Tamira McKenna, Jacob's wife and also from Jeffersonville, to time served with a subsequent two-year supervised release term. She too had pleaded guilty to making false statements when acquiring a firearm.
Tamira McKenna's case involved her visit to the same FFL in Williston on March 10, 2022. She falsely declared not being an illegal drug user when obtaining a handgun. On January 5, 2023, she attempted another purchase at the same location but failed and again lied on the ATF Form 4473. The following day she admitted during an interview her intent to buy firearms for someone legally barred from possessing them and acknowledged her controlled substance use.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with several local police departments and the United States Marshal Service for their joint investigation efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig prosecuted this case. Legal representation included Lisa Shelkrot for Tamira McKenna and Robert Behrens for Jacob McKenna.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through community collaboration and law enforcement efforts across various levels. For more details about PSN's initiatives aimed at fostering community trust and reducing violence strategically while evaluating outcomes can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
