U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest | U.S. Department of Justice
On December 2, 2024, John Ryea from Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced to approximately two and a half months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This sentence was handed down by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III after Ryea pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen firearm. Ryea's conviction comes after a previous misdemeanor domestic violence conviction on November 30, 2022, where he admitted to assaulting his then-girlfriend.
The investigation involved collaboration between the Vermont State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Vermont Drug Task Force. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest praised these efforts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Owyang prosecuted the case while Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels represented Ryea.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites law enforcement and communities to combat violent crime and gun violence. The program emphasizes trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods, information is available at Justice.gov/PSN.
