Man Accused Of Selling Gun To Congregation Beth Israel Hostage-Taker Detained By Judge
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — A month after four people were held hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, the man accused of selling the gun to the hostage-taker has been detained by a federal judge after he appeared in court Wednesday morning.
Henry "Michael" Williams is accused of possessing a gun as a felon. Judge Rebecca Rutherford's decision was based on her beliefs that Williams is a flight risk and danger to the community because of his four prior felony convictions (assault and three drug felonies).
Williams is accused of selling a gun to Malik Faisal Akram for $150 two days before he held four people hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville.
An FBI special agent, Taylor Page, testified that Williams admitted to them he sold a Taurus G2C pistol to Akram on January 13. Further, Page alleged, Williams knew that as a convicted felon, it was illegal for him to possess a firearm.
Page also testified that Williams told the FBI that Akram wanted to buy a machine gun with as many bullets as possible to use to intimidate someone who owed him money, to buy meth, and to buy cocaine.
Williams also allegedly admitted to agents that he routinely offered to be a "fence" for stolen items, buying stolen goods to later resell them for profit. Page testified that Williams said he had sold guns on the street 10 to 15 times previously.
After the court hearing, Williams' common law wife, Keisha Jones told reporters that while he did sell the gun in this case and that what he did was wrong, he's still a good person who cares for his family. She said prosecutors are railroading Williams.
