Kent Edward Newhouse, Machinegun Manufacturing, Mississippi 2022

JACKSON, MS – Kent Edward Newhouse, 41, of Jackson, Mississippi, will spend the next 14 years in federal prison after being sentenced for manufacturing illegal machineguns using 3D printers and illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The case, cracked by a combination of ATF informants and a raid on Newhouse’s residence, highlights the growing threat of untraceable firearms created through rapidly advancing technology.

According to court documents, Newhouse was operating a clandestine firearms manufacturing operation from April to July 2022. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a confidential informant that Newhouse was utilizing 3D-printers to create “auto-sears” – components that convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Federal law classifies these auto-sears *as* machineguns, subjecting their manufacture and possession to strict regulations.

The ATF’s investigation took a concrete turn when Newhouse sold a confidential informant a firearm and several of the illegal auto-sears on July 13, 2022. Less than a week later, on July 20, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at Newhouse’s home. The raid yielded additional firearms and auto-sears, along with video evidence depicting Newhouse operating fully functional machineguns. This wasn’t Newhouse’s first brush with the law; he was previously convicted of felony sale of controlled substances in Madison County in 2009, disqualifying him from legally possessing firearms.

Newhouse pled guilty on September 1, 2022, to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca’s office, sends a clear message: circumventing gun laws with cutting-edge technology won’t shield criminals from federal prosecution. Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the ATF emphasized the agency’s commitment to tracking down and dismantling such operations.

The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Andrew W. Eichner were responsible for the prosecution. The case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through focused law enforcement and community partnerships.

This case underscores the challenges facing law enforcement as technology lowers the barrier to entry for illegal firearms manufacturing. While 3D-printed guns can be difficult to trace, the ATF and its partners are actively working to identify and disrupt these emerging threats, ensuring that dangerous weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands. The 168-month sentence handed down to Newhouse serves as a stark warning to others considering similar ventures.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Christopher S. Earnest, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2017

Mar 1, 2018

Weapons

Nicholas Steven Capella, Possession of Firearms by Prohibited Person, Montana 2023

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Russell Richard Fincher, Ammunition Sales to Prohibited Person, Oklahoma 2023

May 21, 2024

Weapons

Rashawn Walker, Illegal Firearm Possession, Pennsylvania 2024

Apr 8, 2026