Crime

Suspect in Waterbury gun theft busted by feds for drug house

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Michael Ulrich, left, seen in February surveillance video from Parro’s, a Waterbury gun shop. With him is Carlee Shields; both were charged with retail theft and persons prohibited from possessing firearms.

By Mike Donoghue

BURLINGTON — A three-time convicted felon from Morristown has been charged by federal authorities with knowingly and intentionally making his residence available for the unlawful storing, distributing and using of controlled substances, officials said.

Michael K. Ulrich, 31, who authorities say is also a suspect in the theft of two handguns from a popular Waterbury gun store last month, appeared briefly in U.S. District Court in Burlington on Thursday afternoon.

Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle ruled Ulrich was a danger to the community and needs to be detained. Ulrich’s criminal record includes felony convictions for unlawful mischief in 2020 and burglaries in 2013 and 2020, Doyle said. Ulrich also has several misdemeanors convictions, including two drug possession cases in 2012 and 2013 that both netted jail time, records show.

The federal detention ruling came as the state has repeatedly failed to jail Ulrich, even when he reportedly carried crack cocaine into the state probation office in Morristown when checking in recently, officials said.

Editor’s note: the full report by veteran crime reporter Mike Donoghue will be available shortly in several Vermont newspapers. Check the Caledonian-Record, the Waterbury Roundabout, and the Times-Argus.

Categories: Crime

4 replies »

  1. Maybe “three strikes and you’re out,” was a good idea we should revisit.

  2. The easy way to keep dangerous repeat offenders out of circulation is by utilizing EXISTING, TOUGH FEDERAL GUN LAWS. If he was found in possession of firearms as a federally-prohibited person, he is eligible for 5 years in club fed right from the start. Possessing stolen firearms in the furtherance of a drug crime makes it 10 years. NO NEW GUN LAWS UNTIL THE EXISTING ONES ARE FULLY ENFORCED!!!

  3. Shocking that anyone could steal a gun from a gun shop, especially Parro’s. Perhaps they knew and did not want to confront this criminal.

  4. the state has repeatedly failed to jail Ulrich, even when he reportedly carried crack cocaine into the state probation office……

    Why would he think he’d ever get any jail time. Too funny……Vermont, here’s your sign.