Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Travis Collins, 43, of St. Albans City, Vermont, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by Judge William K. Sessions III on August 4, 2025. Judge Sessions specified that Collins’ sentence would begin immediately and would not include time already spent in pretrial custody.
Court records indicate that Collins was arrested on January 9, 2024, in downtown Burlington on outstanding state warrants. At the time of his arrest, he had a backpack containing a loaded pistol with an obliterated serial number. Authorities later determined the firearm had been reported stolen.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher acknowledged the work of the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating the case. “Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.”
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cate. The Office of the Federal Public Defender represented Collins.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement at all levels with community partners to reduce violent crime and gun violence across neighborhoods. The Department of Justice enhanced this strategy on May 26, 2021 to focus on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations aimed at preventing violence before it occurs, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and tracking outcomes. More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
