Philly Gun Thief Pleads Guilty To Drug-Linked Firearm Thefts

Johnstown, Pa. – Justin D. McElheny, 35, of Irvona, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, according to United States Attorney David J. Hickton. The plea comes after McElheny confessed to stealing 72 firearms from East Coast Gun Sales, a federally-licensed firearms dealer, and using them to trade for prescription drugs.

Hickton emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to preventing gun violence and ensuring that firearms are not in the hands of prohibited persons. He noted that illegal drug users often facilitate the transfer of guns in exchange for controlled substances, which McElheny did as a prescription drug abuser.

The ATF Philadelphia Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson highlighted the agency’s dedication to protecting neighborhoods from violent crime and ensuring public safety is not threatened by firearms diverted from lawful commerce. The ATF has been instrumental in targeting individuals who traffic or criminally possess firearms, aiming to reduce gun-related violence.

McElheny, who was in possession of the stolen firearms during his illegal drug use, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson. Sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2013, at 9:30 a.m., with a potential sentence ranging from 20 years in prison to a $500,000 fine.

Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr., is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation that led to McElheny’s prosecution was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Allegheny Township Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and communities to prevent, deter, and prosecute gun crime. The judge released McElheny on $25,000 unsecured bond pending sentencing.