Jonathan Leigh Wienke, Making a Firearm in Violation of the National Firearms Act, West Virginia 2023

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jonathan Leigh Wienke, 46, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was convicted for unlawfully making firearms today, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Wienke pled guilty to one count of “Making a Firearm in Violation of the National Firearms Act.” He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

On June 9, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security obtained a warrant to search Wienke’s home in Martinsburg, West Virginia. During that search, officers found a pistol with an attachment that appeared to be a silencer. The pistol and silencer were seized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Testing confirmed that the attachment was a silencer capable of diminishing the sound report of a portable firearm, and that the silencer met the definition of a “firearm” under federal law. The silencer did not have any manufacturer’s mark of identification or serial number, as required by the National Firearms Act. The investigating agent learned that Wienke had manufactured the silencer, but did not have the requisite license or approval to manufacture a silencer, as required by the National Firearms Act.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

Jonathan Leigh Wienke, 46, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for making a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act.

The case is a reminder that the manufacture of firearms without proper authorization is a serious offense that carries significant penalties.

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