GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Zachary Grosser, 29, of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, is headed to federal prison for 12 years after being sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering for years spent illegally manufacturing and distributing firearms across West Michigan. The sentence, handed down today, reflects the gravity of Grosser’s operation, which included selling guns to individuals legally barred from owning them.
Grosser wasn’t running a licensed gun shop. He was building “ghost guns” – firearms assembled from kits and lacking serial numbers, designed to evade tracing – and brazenly advertising their untraceability to potential buyers. The operation, uncovered through surveillance and trash searches, revealed a sophisticated, if illegal, manufacturing setup. Investigators discovered handwritten instructions and partially-completed firearms among Grosser’s waste.
The real scope of the operation came into focus during a raid of Grosser’s Kalamazoo County home in August 2021. Beneath the residence, authorities discovered a full-blown subterranean workshop. Packed with gunsmithing machines, tools, parts, and multiple 3D printers, the workshop was a ghost gun factory. Investigators seized over 40 firearms, including an illegally modified short-barreled rifle proudly displayed on his wall. Judge Beckering described Grosser’s conduct as “extremely dangerous to the community.”
“Operating an unlicensed firearms dealership is against the law, period,” stated U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Zachary Grosser made a business out of building and selling firearms to people forbidden to have them, with a promise that they would be untraceable. He was sorely mistaken. My office will continue to investigate and hold accountable all who would flood our communities with ghost guns or unlawfully possess them.”
The investigation wasn’t limited to firearms. Authorities also uncovered evidence linking Grosser to drug use and dealing, further complicating the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Castle handling the prosecution.
Grosser’s 12-year sentence sends a clear message: the days of operating an illegal gun manufacturing business and profiting from the flow of untraceable weapons are numbered. The ATF and the Department of Justice are cracking down on ghost guns, and those who attempt to skirt the law will face serious consequences. This case underscores the growing threat posed by these easily assembled, untraceable firearms and the commitment of law enforcement to dismantle these dangerous operations.
Related Federal Cases
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- Josh Shapiro, Gun Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2023 · West Virginia
- Nikolette Rivera, Gun Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2024 · West Virginia
- Sheldon Thomas, Gun Trafficking, Detroit MI, 2023 · Illinois
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