Burlington, Vermont - The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that today a federal grand jury sitting in Burlington, Vermont returned a one count indictment charging John Grandizio, 39, of Wallingford, Vermont, with knowingly possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
On Aug. 1, 2023, Grandizio was arrested on another federal firearms charge and he made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle yesterday. Grandizio was ordered detained pending further proceedings in this matter. Grandizio’s next scheduled court date is Aug. 15, 2023.
According to court records, in April 2023, United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted two parcels coming from China destined for Grandizio’s Wallingford post office box, each containing devices that were or could be easily converted to be a firearms silencer. When Grandizio was arrested on August 1 on charges resulting from the discovery of these parcels, Grandizio possessed a loaded brown Glock 19 handgun, which led to the charge contained in today’s indictment. Court records state that during a search of Grandizio’s and his girlfriend’s Wallingford residence on Aug. 1, agents seized approximately 23 firearms and at least hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Grandizio remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. Grandizio faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michael Drescher. Grandizio is represented by Matthew Hart, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.