Michael Williams, 49, was indicted on charges of transferring or possessing a machinegun and being a felon in possession of ammunition, following his arrest on July 28, 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts,
As detailed in the charging documents, Williams agreed to sell various machinegun conversion devices and other firearm accessories to an undercover federal agent in January 2023. The alleged transactions took place on two occasions, following a series of communications, with Williams meeting the undercover agent at a pre-arranged location.
On January 12, 2023, Williams is said to have sold the first machinegun conversion device to the undercover agent, along with numerous rounds of ammunition. The following day reportedly saw the sale of two more conversion devices to the agent. What makes these transactions especially troubling is that, due to a prior felony conviction, Williams is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The charges faced by Williams are severe, with each count of unlawful transferring or possession of a machinegun punishable with a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Division, and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton announced the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, from the Organized Crime & Gang Unit, is set to prosecute the case.
With the details contained in the charging documents considered as allegations until proven otherwise, Williams remains innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
