Joseph Miner, Purchasing Illegally Defaced Firearm, New York 2020

Joseph Miner, a 31-year-old man from Bayside, Queens, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for purchasing an illegally defaced firearm in May 2020.

Miner was found guilty of knowingly purchasing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which makes it impossible to trace the weapon’s origin or ownership.

The crime was uncovered by law enforcement authorities who began investigating Miner’s interest in illegally purchasing firearms in late 2019. Miner posted on social media about his desire to obtain assault weapons and other firearms for a racial civil war or racial holy war.

Miner expressed support for racially and ethnically motivated violence, including celebrating the August 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the December 2019 machete attack at a synagogue in Monsey, New York.

Miner initiated contact with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a firearms dealer in April 2020. He requested to purchase firearms from the undercover agent, knowing that the serial numbers that allow the weapons to be traced were removed from the guns.

Miner met the undercover agent at a Queens hotel on the evening of May 12, 2020, and purchased a Glock 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Artie McConnell and Josh Hafetz are in charge of the prosecution.

Defendant: Joseph Miner

Exact Crime: Purchasing an illegally defaced firearm

City and State: Queens, New York

Exact Date: May 2020

Sentence: 57 months’ imprisonment

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/queens-man-sentenced-57-months-imprisonment-purchasing-illegally-defaced-firearm