Kalamazoo man with long felony history gets prison time for drug and weapons charge, as well as assault with intent to commit murder

KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A 27-year-old Kalamazoo man arrested in March 2022 on drug trafficking and weapons charges has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten says William Henderson, Jr. was arrested in possession of a loaded .40 caliber pistol in a bag with over 13 grams of cocaine. As a felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms but reportedly openly displayed the weapon to others at a Kalamazoo block party shortly before his arrest.

Totten says while on the scene of a shooting in February 2022, officers located shell castings that connected to the gun Henderson was arrested with, and authorities also presented text message evidence recovered from Henderson’s phone discussing his involvement in the shooting of Cornell Gordon.

After hearing the evidence, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney applied a sentencing cross reference for assault with intent to commit murder, and ordered Henderson to also spend four years on supervised release.

Totten says Henderson has numerous prior convictions, including carrying concealed weapons, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and controlled substance possession and distribution.