A Martinsburg man is going down for his role in a ghost gun trafficking ring that sold ‘hit kits’ to the public.
Harry Miller, 48, of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of possession, manufacturing, and trafficking of firearms, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Miller’s sentencing follows earlier guilty pleas from Miller and two co-defendants, Craig Zahradnik and Wayne Farabaugh, in the case. According to information presented to the Court, Miller admitted that, between May 2022 and April 2023, he and his co-defendants were part of a conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license.
Specifically, Miller and Zahradnik were partners in an illicit business operation engaged in the manufacturing and trafficking of privately made firearms—so-called ghost guns—with Miller purchasing the components and maintaining many of the weapons at a storage unit that Zahradnik, a retired police detective, controlled. Beginning in July of 2022, Zahradnik provided $5,000 payments to Miller that Miller then deposited into his bank account, totaling $30,000. Miller used these funds to purchase the firearm components from outside of Pennsylvania and repaid Zahradnik with the proceeds from the gun sales, including from the sale of what Miller marketed as “hit kits.”
“Hit kits” consisted of a 9-millimeter Polymer80 handgun with no serial number, a threaded barrel to attach a silencer, a silencer, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves. Miller was permitted and assisted by Farabaugh in using machinery at Farabaugh’s place of employment to drill the components for ghost guns. Miller also used this equipment to manufacture untraceable weapons and weapon components that were required to be registered with the government under the National Firearms Act, including silencers, machineguns, and short-barrel rifles.
Zahradnik transported the “hit kits” and other firearms to and from Miller for scheduled buys. On other occasions, Miller and Zahradnik transported firearms together. In March 2023, Zahradnik transferred a firearm and ammunition to Miller, knowing that Miller intended to sell, dispose of, or transfer the firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a felony, and unlawfully transferred firearms that were not registered to him.
“Harry Miller, a convicted felon who could not lawfully possess a firearm, made tens of thousands of dollars manufacturing and selling ‘hit kits’ containing untraceable ghost guns, silencers, ammunition, and latex gloves,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “Today’s 10-year sentence reflects the egregiousness of Miller’s illicit business, which saw untraceable firearms distributed throughout our western Pennsylvania community. This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to root out the unlawful trafficking of firearms and hold those who endanger the public accountable under federal law.”
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their tireless efforts in helping to bring this case to justice.
Miller was found to have used the equipment at Farabaugh’s workplace to manufacture not just the ghost guns, but also silencers, machineguns, and short-barrel rifles, all of which required to be registered with the government under the National Firearms Act. Miller is a convicted felon and was not allowed to possess firearms, but he was the driving force behind the trafficking ring that sold the ‘hit kits’ to the public.
“Firearms trafficking is a primary focus of ATF,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Miller’s criminal activities fueled the violence in our communities, and the firearms he trafficked will remain a threat for years. ATF is committed to identifying, disrupting, and prosecuting those who illegally manufacture, possess, and traffic in firearms with our unique resources and expertise to protect our neighborhoods.”
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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