Five Vermont Protesters Face $5,000 Fines Under New Federal Rule
Three demonstrators pleaded not guilty to blocking an ICE office, while two others await arraignment under a regulation that took effect in November 2025.
By David Marshall ·
Five individuals in Vermont now face federal charges for protesting at a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. The prosecution relies on a new regulation that expands the definition of prohibited conduct near federal buildings. Three of the defendants appeared in Burlington federal court on Thursday to enter their pleas.
Peter Booth, 58, of Jericho; Henry Prensky, 80, of Burlington; and Sherri Wormser, 57, of Colchester, all pleaded not guilty. The charge is obstructing the usual use, enjoyment, and access to federal property, which is classified as a petty misdemeanor. A conviction could result in up to 30 days in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. The remaining two defendants, Lexington Kennedy, 22, of New York, and Roan Wade, 23, of Red Hook, New York, are scheduled for arraignment on November 19.
The incidents occurred during sit-in protests at the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center in Williston. The facility is an ICE intelligence center located in a private business complex on Industrial Avenue. According to the charges, the protesters blocked the office entrances and ignored dispersal orders from Vermont State Police during demonstrations on February 9, May 14, and July 24 of this year.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed the new rule in early 2025. It was fast-tracked into effect in November 2025, bypassing the standard notice and public comment periods. The agency cited a recent increase in civil unrest and damage to federal property as the reason for the expedited timeline. This regulatory move followed a September 2025 shooting of an ICE transport van in Dallas that killed two detainees, and a July 4, 2025, demonstration in Alvarado, Texas, where a protester shot a police officer.
Robert Appel, the attorney for the three defendants arraigned on Thursday, stated that the government is using a new interpretation of federal law. He said he believes this is among the first prosecutions utilizing the new regulation. Appel intends to file a motion to dismiss the charges, noting that his understanding from colleagues is that this legal theory has not been used before.
Outside the courtroom, the three defendants read a statement to a crowd of about a dozen supporters. A banner reading "Abolish ICE!" was strung on a fence across the street. The group stated that the purpose of the prosecutions is to intimidate them, but they remain committed to immigrants' rights and the fight to abolish ICE.
The next hearing for the three defendants has not yet been scheduled. The case marks the first time Vermont protesters arrested at this specific ICE facility have faced federal charges rather than state citations.
