Jon Victor Benson, Federal Firearms Violations, Connecticut 2020

Jon Victor Benson, 62, of New Milford, Connecticut, has been sentenced for violating federal firearms laws. On May 4, 2020, Benson was sentenced to five years of probation and a $5,000 fine.

The sentencing occurred via videoconference, as per the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Benson owned and operated The Freedom Shoppe, a former federally-licensed firearms manufacturer and dealer located in New Milford.

The National Firearms Act (“NFA”) provides that it is unlawful for any person or entity to possess any NFA-regulated firearm that is not registered to that person or entity. In December 2017, ATF Industry Operations Investigators (IOIs) began a firearms compliance inspection of The Freedom Shoppe.

At the time, Benson held a firearm manufacturers and dealer’s license and was the “responsible person” with respect to the business. ATF IOIs determined that Benson and The Freedom Shoppe had manufactured, possessed and transferred several NFA-regulated firearms that were not registered to it in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) maintained by ATF.

Benson admitted to investigators that he had not kept a record of manufacture for any firearms that had been converted from a pistol or from a frame/receiver, as required for all licensed manufacturers. The ATF’s inspection confirmed that Benson did not maintain proper Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records for the firearms he manufactured, and that he did not properly complete Firearms Transaction Records (Form 4473s) for firearms sold to customers.

On October 27, 2020, Benson pleaded guilty to one count of failure to maintain firearms records. As part of his guilty plea, Benson agreed not to challenge the administrative revocation of his federal firearms licenses to manufacture firearms and to deal firearms.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

Benson, a New Milford resident, was sentenced to five years of probation and a $5,000 fine. The charges against him were related to his failure to maintain firearms records.

The Freedom Shoppe, a former federally-licensed firearms manufacturer and dealer, was also implicated in the case.

Benson was charged with violating federal firearms laws, including failing to maintain proper Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records for the firearms he manufactured.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny.

Related Federal Cases