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Former Tyngsborough Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Gun Trafficking and Bank Fraud
BOSTON – Daniel Whitman, 37, of Salisbury, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to bank fraud and violations of the National Firearms Act (NFA).
Whitman, a former police officer with the Tyngsborough Police Department and owner of Hitman Firearms, LLC, a retail gun shop in Tyngsborough, was charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy; two counts of bank fraud; two counts of making false statements to a bank; one count of possession of an unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to violate provisions of the NFA; one count of making a firearm in violation of the NFA; and one count of transferring a firearm in violation of the NFA.
According to the investigation, Whitman and co-conspirator Bin Lu sought to build a large indoor shooting range, which would serve regional and international customers, and offer shooting clinics and other services. Whitman and Lu brought in a Chinese investor, who contributed several million dollars to the project. However, in applying for loans from federally insured financial institutions, Whitman hid the true source of their initial funding from the banks and filed false documents in connection with their loan applications.
In addition, Whitman knowingly made, possessed and transferred firearms that had been modified by the addition of stocks and short barrels, resulting in their classification as short-barreled rifles (SBR) under the NFA. These SBRs were not properly registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by the NFA, nor did Whitman pay the applicable taxes or fulfill other requirements under the NFA.
Whitman was arrested and charged in January 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for January 27, 2023.
The bank fraud charges provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The NFA charges provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $10,000.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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