TRENTON, N.J. – In a brazen scheme, Benjamin Donald Brunni, 19, of Greensburg, Indiana, admitted to transporting and selling firearms without a license in connection with illegal firearms trafficking and sales activity he conducted on an underground, internet-based marketplace known as Alphabay.
Brunni pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of transporting and selling firearms without a license. Co-defendant Nicholas Michael Albertson, 20, of Columbus, Indiana, pleaded guilty to the same offense on July 14, 2017.
The arrests of Brunni and Albertson stemmed from a larger law enforcement operation initiated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that targeted illegal activities conducted through the dark net since 2013.
Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said: ‘This case highlights the danger posed by dark net marketplaces that offer one-stop anonymous shopping for criminal services.’
Brunni maintained a profile on Alphabay in which he expressed interest in the sale and purchase of firearms and ammunition. For approximately one month, Brunni negotiated with an undercover officer, whom he believed was an international purchaser of firearms, for the sale of numerous semi-automatic handguns and rifles.
Ultimately, Brunni agreed to sell 10 firearms to the undercover officer, including eight Glock-model semi-automatic handguns with obliterated serial numbers and two semi-automatic rifles for $7,550. Brunni also agreed to transport the weapons from his home in Indiana to New Jersey to complete the transaction.
On Sept. 9, 2016, Brunni and Albertson traveled to the meeting spot at a truck stop in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, and were subsequently arrested. Law enforcement agents recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson Model 5906 S-A Pistol in the vicinity of the Mercedes driver’s seat, as well as three Glock Model 22 Pistols, one Glock Model 17 Gen 4 Pistol, one Glock Model 20 Pistol, one Glock Model 26 Gen 4 Pistol, one Glock Model 30 Pistol, one Glock Model 34 Pistol, one Rugar AR-556 assault rifle, and one Anderson Mfg. AM-15 assault rifle. The serial numbers from each of the Glock handguns were obliterated and unrecognizable.
The unlicensed sale of firearms on the dark net poses a significant threat to public safety, and law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to identify and prosecute individuals who engage in such activities.
Brunni’s guilty plea serves as a stern warning about the consequences awaiting arms traffickers who think the dark net is a safe haven to conduct illegal activities. He faces sentencing at a later date.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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