John Jacob Hasay, Machinegun Possession, Pennsylvania 2019

John Jacob Hasay, 22, of Benton, Pennsylvania, is headed to federal prison for 24 months after being convicted of possessing an illegal machinegun and multiple modified firearms. On April 23, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley handed down the sentence, which includes an additional two years of supervised release. The case closed a disturbing chapter in which Hasay openly threatened violence online and built a cache of weapons designed for maximum firepower.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, federal agents first took notice of Hasay after he posted extremist content in online forums, including racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric, and explicit threats to carry out a hate crime. His digital footprint led investigators to uncover a dangerous escalation: Hasay had smuggled an auto-sear from Russia, disguising the illegal device as a motorcycle part during customs inspection. The auto-sear allows semiautomatic handguns to fire fully automatically, effectively converting them into machineguns—weapons strictly prohibited under federal law.

On August 23, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hasay’s residence, uncovering a virtual arsenal of illegal firearms and modifications. Among the seized items: a Glock 19 9mm equipped with the illicit auto sear, a CAA Model G3 Micro Roni pistol carbine with a scope, and an IWI MP Uzi with a shortened barrel. Agents also recovered a GSG Model 522 and a Charter Arms AR-7 Explorer, both fitted with shortened barrels and capable of accepting large-capacity magazines.

Additional weapons seized included a Mossberg Model 500A with a shortened barrel, an I.O. Inc. Sporter fitted with a suppressor and large-capacity magazine capability, and two separate suppressors. Every firearm and component was forfeited at Hasay’s sentencing, marking a sweeping dismantling of his personal armory. The modifications found on the weapons are not only illegal but significantly increase lethality and concealability—hallmarks of weapons used in mass violence.

Hasay has remained in federal custody since his arrest nearly eight months before sentencing. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo led the prosecution, emphasizing the threat Hasay posed to public safety long before any attack could materialize.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a DOJ initiative reinvigorated in 2017 to combat violent crime through coordinated federal, state, and local enforcement. This case exemplifies PSN’s proactive approach: intercepting a would-be offender before tragedy strikes. In the shadow of rising domestic extremism, authorities say disrupting plots at the possession stage is now a frontline defense in preventing mass violence.

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