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New Britain Firearms Manufacturer, Ex-Owner Sentenced for Violating Federal Firearms Laws

STAG ARMS LLC, a firearms manufacturer in New Britain, and its former owner and president, MARK MALKOWSKI of Farmington, were sentenced in Hartford federal court.

Sr. U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello ordered STAG ARMS to pay a $500,000 fine and MALKOWSKI to serve two years of probation and pay a $100,000 fine.

In December 2015, STAG ARMS pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possession of a machine gun not registered to the company, and MALKOWSKI pleaded guilty in his individual capacity to a misdemeanor charge of failure to maintain proper firearm records.

U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly said, "This is the first time nationwide that a major firearms manufacturer has been convicted of a felony and had its license revoked, effectively forcing the company to be sold to new owners."

According to court documents, STAG ARMS obtained a federal firearms license in 2003 and a license for a second location in 2009. However, the company failed to maintain proper records and possessed unregistered machine guns, including 62 machine guns and machine gun receivers not registered to anyone.

ATF Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Kumor stated, "When firearms licensees fail to comply with these federal regulations and laws they open the door for untraceable firearms to wind up on the street in the hands of traffickers and criminals."

The case is a warning to firearms manufacturers that failure to comply with laws can have serious consequences.

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