James Piccirilli, Possession of Unregistered Fully Automatic Firearm, Maryland 2020

Former Police Officer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Possession of Unregistered Fully Automatic Firearm

Baltimore, Maryland – In a shocking turn of events, James Piccirilli, a 38-year-old former police officer from Towson, Maryland, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of an unregistered fully automatic firearm.

The sentence was imposed on January 13, 2020 by U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanie Thacker, sitting by designation in Baltimore.

Piccirilli, who formerly served as a police officer in Brunswick, Maryland, was charged with possession of an unregistered fully automatic firearm in connection with the discovery of 10 unregistered fully automatic firearms, one unregistered short-barreled rifle, and seven unregistered silencers at his residence.

According to court documents, Piccirilli attempted to sell the firearm to an ATF undercover agent without ATF’s prior approval in November 2018. Investigators seized the firearm and subsequently executed search warrants on his house and two vehicles, uncovering the cache of illicit firearms.

Piccirilli's actions pose a significant risk to public safety, and his sentence serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of violating laws regulating fully automatic weapons, which can wound and kill at an alarmingly high rate.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant's full name is James Piccirilli, the exact criminal charge is possession of an unregistered fully automatic firearm, the city and state are Baltimore, Maryland, the exact date of the crime is not specified, and the sentence is 30 months in federal prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/former-police-officer-sentenced-30-months-federal-prison-possession-unregistered-fully