By Steve Neavling
A former FBI agent who admitted to stealing money, silver, and government property during criminal investigations in the Houston area was sentenced Monday to four months in federal prison, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Nicholas Anthony Williams, 37, pleaded guilty in December to embezzlement and making false statements. He faced up to 10 years behind bars but received a significantly lighter sentence from U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who also ordered him to repay more than $10,500 in restitution. After serving his prison term, Williams will be placed on supervised release for three years.
Williams joined the FBI in 2019 and was assigned to violent gang and counterterrorism cases. Over a 16-month period beginning in March 2022, he was accused of stealing cash and valuables from four homes during searches.
One of the victims, University of Houston student Alexander Fan, was being investigated for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors said Williams took $2,500 and silver bars from Fan’s bedroom — a theft that ultimately helped expose the former agent’s misconduct.
Authorities said Williams used the stolen money to buy firearms, including a Ruger long-range rifle. He also admitted to pawning FBI-issued phones and using a government credit card for personal expenses.
He has not yet been taken into custody and was ordered to surrender to a federal prison at a later date.
