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Richboro Man Found Guilty of Machinegun and Restricted Laser Aiming Sights Sales
A Pennsylvania man has been found guilty of conspiring with two former Lake County Police Officers to knowingly make false statements relating to the acquisition of firearms.
According to evidence presented at trial, Vahan Kelerchian, 56, of Richboro, Pennsylvania, doing business as Armament Services International ‘ASI’, conspired with Joseph Kumstar and Ronald Slusser, two now former Lake County Police Officers, to acquire approximately 71 fully automatic machineguns in the name of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.
The machineguns were purchased for a cost of $1200 and $1600 and then when received by the Sheriff’s Department, transported offsite to be parted out. The barrels, aka the ‘upper’, were split with the officers and some were sent back to Kelerchian. The ‘uppers’ sold between $3000 and $3600 due to post-1986 parts not being available to the public.
Kelerchian also used his company to assist Kumstar and Slusser to acquire 74 restricted laser aiming sights again using law enforcement letterhead from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and the Lowell Police Department. These laser sights were restricted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they were class 3b lasers.
Kelerchian was found guilty of the following charges: conspiracy to knowingly make false statements relating to the acquisition of firearms, knowingly making false statements relating to the acquisition of firearms, money laundering, and false statements to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regarding false demonstration letters involving high powered belt-fed machine guns.
The case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Services; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Benson and Thomas M. McGrath.
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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