Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 21, 2024, Kewon Yarbrough, 38, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 27 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Yarbrough previously pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing a firearm after having been convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year in prison.

According to court records, Yarbrough’s criminal history included 7 prior felony convictions, one of which was for a domestic violence offense in Oklahoma. His history also included an Oklahoma misdemeanor conviction for a domestic violence offense. In addition, in 2013, the State of Oklahoma prosecuted him for three felony and one misdemeanor domestic violence offenses. The misdemeanor case resulted in a conviction for violation of a protective order. The felony cases were dismissed for lack of participation by a prosecution witness, but the alleged felony conduct precipitated the revocation of previously suspended sentencing, resulting in a 5-year prison sentence.

Court records also show the State of Oklahoma issued domestic abuse protective orders, brought by four different women, against Yarbrough in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2016. More recently, the State of Oklahoma charged Yarbrough in 2019 and 2022 with felony Domestic Abuse by Strangulation. According to Oklahoma court records, the 2019 case was dismissed for a prosecution witness’s failure to appear, and the 2022 case was dismissed without a reason listed on the docket.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Killington Police Department; and the Vermont State Police.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne Smith. Yarbrough was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.

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 Justice.gov/PSN.

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