Jefferson City man pleads guilty in conspiracy

A Jefferson City man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to his role in a conspiracy to burglarize residences in Columbia and sell the stolen items - including firearms.

Henry Anthony Williams, also known as "Foolish," 27, pleaded guilty to possessing stolen firearms and to participating in a wire fraud conspiracy.

According to a plea agreement, Williams admitted he had possessed firearms stolen during the burglary of a residence in Columbia. The investigation began Sept. 17, 2014, when Moberly police officers received a report from a local gun store that someone was trying to sell one of the stolen firearms to the store's owner. The person who tried to sell the stolen rifle told officers he had purchased it from another man, identified as "LJ," who in turn said he purchased it from Williams. LJ told officers Williams had other firearms for sale.

On Sept. 24, 2014, LJ arranged to meet Williams in the Hooters parking lot in Columbia to purchase another firearm. In a controlled undercover transaction, LJ was provided $350 and purchased a Marlin .22-caliber rifle and a Western Field 12-gauge shotgun from Williams. The Marlin rifle was among the firearms stolen in the Columbia burglary.

Williams also admitted he was part of a conspiracy to burglarize residences in the Columbia area, primarily targeting college housing and electronic equipment. Williams and others burglarized residences and sold the stolen merchandise to a co-conspirator, who sold the items on eBay.

Williams admitted he had committed at least one of the three residential burglaries that occurred Nov. 17, 2015, at residences on Commercial Drive in Columbia.

Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.