Firefighter resigns facing federal weapons conviction
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. -- A suburban New York firefighter who is also the mayor's half-brother resigned after it was revealed that he has a federal conviction pending against him as a gun trafficker, CBS New York reports.
Henry-George Thomas abruptly quit this week after his new boss in Mount Vernon became aware of the federal charges for weapons sales - including a silencer-equipped Mac-11, which went for roughly $2,000, the station reported.
The feds have Thomas on four different gun buys, but they think he was at it for longer than they were aware of, according to the station. One of the locations he allegedly chose for the illegal sales was on a stretch of road near fire department headquarters.
Bob Kelley, the Mount Vernon public safety commissioner, had to break the news to the new mayor.
"His response to me was unequivocal," Kelley told CBS New York. "It was affirmative, 'Do the right thing.'"
Thomas was sworn in for his first term as mayor of Mount Vernon in November 2015. He previously served as a Democratic city councilman. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday, according to CBS New York.
According to the station, Thomas and will be sentenced in U.S. District Court on March 24.
"It is kind of scary, because firefighters are supposed to, like, help us out and everything. They're supposed, like, protect us and everything - just like the cops," Mount Vernon resident Camila Rodriguez told CBS New York.