Mohamed Mubarak Convicted of Firearm and Identity Theft Offenses

Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, Mohamed Mubarak, 28, of Burlington, Vermont, was convicted in U.S. District Court in Burlington of three firearm offenses and two identity theft offenses after a four-day jury trial. Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that Mubarak remain in jail pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. Mubarak has been detained since his arrest in November of 2025.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Mubarak obtained an associate's driver's license by providing the associate with crack cocaine. Mubarak then used the associate's driver's license (without that associate's knowledge) to purchase two firearms from a Vermont firearm store, specifically a black Canik 9mm pistol and a pink SCCY 9mm pistol. Mubarak could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms due to his prior felony convictions. In March of 2024, evidence related to the purchase of the firearms was recovered during the investigation of a firearm discharge at an apartment building in South Burlington, Vermont. Law enforcement also obtained messaging and photographs from a cellular phone, as well as other social media messaging that provided evidence of defendant Mubarak's possession of the associate's license, the illicit firearm purchases, and Mubarak's unlawful possession of firearms. The photograph below was admitted into evidence at trial, and depicts defendant Mubarak with a Canik 9mm pistol and a pink SCCY 9mm pistol.

Based on the jury's verdict, Mubarak faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft, and up to 15 years of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The actual sentence will be determined with reference to Federal Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Burlington Police Department, and the Essex Police Department, and thanked the Vermont State Police, Newport Police Department, Montpelier Police Department, and Winooski Police Department for their assistance.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.