SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A 47-year-old man is now facing federal charges after a cache of over 38 ghost guns and over 600 rounds of ammunition were seized from her home, officials said.
Karl Waltenbaugh has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Federal agents from the ATF’s San Francisco Division reported that a search of Waltenbaugh’s Felton home uncovered 38 ghost guns, including lower receivers and fully assembled firearms. Investigators said they also seized three silencers, two 3D printers, and approximately 600 rounds of ammunition.
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In May 2019, San Mateo County sheriff’s officials reported that Waltenbaugh, then 40, and Sean Collins, 33, were taken into custody after a parole search at a residence in the 800 block of Portola State Park Road in La Honda.
During that search, deputies discovered a significant cache of illegal rifles, high-capacity magazines, body armor, and an active pipe bomb. Equipment used for manufacturing firearms was also found in a common area of the home they shared.
At the time of the La Honda incident, Waltenbaugh was booked on suspicion of felony possession of an assault weapon, possession of a destructive device, and child endangerment, as his 1-year-old child was present in the room where the weapons were found.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad was required to render the explosive device safe during that investigation.
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