The Dallas man who sold Malik Faisal Akram the gun he used to kidnap hostages in a Colleyville synagogue pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal gun crime, according to a federal official in Dallas.
Henry “Michael” Dwight Williams, 32, who was charged via criminal complaint in January, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez.
Williams now faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
“This defendant, a convicted felon, had no business carrying – much less buying and selling – firearms. Whether he suspected his buyer would use the gun to menace a community of faith is legally irrelevant: In the U.S., convicted felons cannot possess firearms,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham in a Thursday news release. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who violate our nation’s federal firearm laws, which are designed to keep guns from falling into the hands of dangerous offenders.
Meacham praised the FBI for its work on the case against Williams.
“Tireless days of nonstop investigation revealed the connection of Mr. Akram to Mr. Williams. We are grateful to the many law enforcement agencies and personnel that traced the weapon’s nefarious source,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno in the news release. “We are fortunate to be able to celebrate the brave actions of the hostages and will continue to support Congregation Beth Israel and the Jewish community in their process of healing.”
Williams – a felon previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted possession of a controlled substance – sold Akram a semiautomatic Taurus G2C pistol on Jan. 13, according to the federal complaint.
In plea papers, Williams admitted to possession of that firearm despite his previous conviction.
According to the complaint, on Jan. 15, agents recovered the pistol from Colleyville’s Congregation Beth Israel synagogue, where Akram had held four people hostage for several hours before he was fatally shot by federal law enforcement.
FBI agents tied Williams and Akram through an analysis of Akram’s cellphone records, which showed the pair exchanged a series of calls from Jan. 11 through Jan. 13.
When agents first interviewed Williams on Jan. 16, Williams stated that he recalled meeting a man with a British accent, but that he could not recall the man’s name. (Akram was a British citizen.)
Agents interviewed the defendant again on Jan. 24, after he was arrested on an outstanding state warrant. After viewing a photo of Akram, Williams confirmed he sold Akram the handgun at an intersection in South Dallas.
Analysis of both men’s cellphone records showed that the two phones were in close proximity on Jan. 13.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division, and the Colleyville Police Department.
