Wayne Farabaugh, Conspiracy to Deal and Manufacture Firearms without a License, Pennsylvania 2024

JOHNSTOWN, PA – A shadowy network peddling untraceable “hit kits” – complete firearms packaged with silencers and latex gloves – has crumbled in Western Pennsylvania, with a third defendant now admitting guilt in federal court. Wayne Farabaugh, 55, of New Paris, pled guilty to conspiracy to deal and manufacture firearms without a license, adding to the convictions of his co-conspirators, Craig Zahradnik and Harry Miller.

The operation, uncovered by the ATF, saw Miller and Zahradnik acting as partners in an illicit gun manufacturing and trafficking business between May 2022 and April 2023. Miller, the primary purchaser of firearm components sourced from outside Pennsylvania, stored the weapons at a storage unit controlled by Zahradnik, 52, of Altoona – a retired police detective. Zahradnik funneled $30,000 into the operation, providing $5,000 payments to Miller each month starting in July 2022, receiving repayment from the proceeds of illegal gun sales.

What set this ring apart wasn’t just the illegal manufacturing, but the packaging. Miller marketed “hit kits” consisting of a 9-millimeter Polymer80 handgun – lacking a serial number – paired with a threaded barrel, an attached silencer, subsonic ammunition, and, chillingly, latex gloves. The intent was clear: provide a complete, untraceable weapon for those looking to operate outside the law. Farabaugh played a crucial role, allowing Miller to use machinery at his place of employment to drill components for these ghost guns, as well as manufacturing untraceable weapon parts like silencers, machineguns, and short-barrel rifles.

Zahradnik wasn’t just a financier; he actively transported the “hit kits” and other firearms between Miller and buyers. On multiple occasions, the pair transported the weapons together. He also admitted to transferring a firearm and ammunition to Miller in March 2023, knowing Miller, a convicted felon, intended to illegally sell it. Both Zahradnik and Farabaugh knowingly supplied Miller, despite being aware of his prohibited status as a felon.

Zahradnik, 52, and Miller, 47, of Martinsburg, each previously pled guilty to seven counts before U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines, including unlawful possession of a machinegun, illegal trafficking in firearms, and unlawfully engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms. Zahradnik’s sentencing is scheduled for April 10, while Miller will be sentenced on March 11. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Eric G. Olshan, is prosecuting the case.

“This case illustrates the extraordinary danger associated with the unlawful manufacturing and trafficking of ghost guns,” stated U.S. Attorney Olshan. “These defendants admitted selling so-called ‘hit kits’ to anyone looking for an untraceable firearm packaged together with a silencer and even latex gloves. The potential for lethal consequences is staggering. As always, we will continue to work side by side with our partners in federal, state and local law enforcement to ensure that those who put profit over public safety are held accountable.”

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