Ithaca Man Charged With Possession of a Silencer, Explosives and Fraudulent Firearm Purchase

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Maximilien R. Reynolds, age 19, of Ithaca, New York,  was arrested and charged with possession of a destructive device and a silencer, as well as aiding and abetting the “straw purchase” of a rifle. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); City of Ithaca Police Chief Pete Tyler; and Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten.

Reynolds appeared today in United States District Court in Syracuse on a criminal complaint alleging that he possessed the silencer and destructive device in his apartment in Ithaca, and aided and abetted in the straw purchase of a rifle. The defendant has been ordered held without bail pending a hearing.

The charges alleging Maximilien R. Reynolds possessed a firearm and silencer each carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years, and fine of up to $10,000. The charges alleging that the defendant aided and abetted in the straw purchase of a rifle each carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to 3 years,  and a fine of  up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the City of Ithaca Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Cornell University Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick, with assistance from the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office.