James Ian Piccirilli, Failing to Surrender, Maryland 2020
Former police officer James Ian Piccirilli, 40, of Mt. Airy, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to failing to surrender for service of sentence, a crime that landed him a 30-month prison term for possessing an unregistered fully automatic firearm.
According to the guilty plea, on January 14, 2020, U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanie Thacker sentenced Piccirilli to 30 months' imprisonment for violating the National Firearms Act. However, instead of serving his sentence, Piccirilli fled the area, abandoning his ankle monitor and curfew.
Investigations revealed that Piccirilli and his girlfriend, Kellie Nicole Warfield, 30, had disposed of their cell phones and sold their vehicle after the sentencing hearing.
Law enforcement discovered that the couple had relocated to Ramsey, Indiana, and Warfield had received temporary tags for a truck that was purchased in Kansas. She also applied for an Indiana driver's license and registration for the truck in September 2020.
On October 13, 2020, investigators arrested Piccirilli and Warfield at a New Salisbury, Indiana restaurant where Warfield worked. The investigation led to the discovery of 10 unregistered fully automatic firearms, one unregistered short-barreled rifle, and seven unregistered silencers.
Piccirilli admitted to possessing the unregistered firearms and attempting to launder them by trying to have the gun dealer register the illegal firearm and/or sell it. He also tried to conceal the nature of the transaction in text messages and recorded calls.
Piccirilli's guilty plea comes after his November 2019 guilty plea for possessing an unregistered fully automatic firearm in violation of the NFA. He is currently awaiting sentencing for the new charges of failing to surrender for service of sentence and possessing unregistered firearms.
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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