Dundalk Man Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearm: Court

DUNDALK, MD — Frank William Robertson Perry, 39, of Dundalk has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Perry admitted to officials that he is an "adherent" of what's called the Boogaloo Movement, according to court documents. “Boogaloo” is a term referencing a violent uprising or impending civil war and is sometimes used by militia extremists and others, the court noted.

According to his plea agreement, Perry was previously convicted for second-degree burglary in November 2012 in Baltimore County Circuit Court. As a result of that conviction, Perry is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As detailed in his plea agreement, in April 2020, Perry had his girlfriend to purchase the lower receiver of an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 rifle from a firearms dealer in Eastern Baltimore County for his own use

The lower receiver of a firearm, while not a completed and functioning weapon, is legally defined as a firearm, according to court documents. Purchasers are required to go through a background check and complete an ATF form truthfully and under penalty of perjury, which the seller of the firearm is required to maintain. The form, as completed, indicated that Perry’s girlfriend was the purchaser of the AM-15 lower receiver and that the receiver was “multi-cal,” denoting a firearm that could be assembled into a variety of calibers. The AM-15 lower receiver, once assembled, is nearly identical to the AR-15 assault rifle.

Perry admitted in court documents that from March 31, 2020, to Sept. 6, 2020, he purchased a number of firearm-related items online, including a gun cleaning mat with a diagram of the parts of an AR-15 style rifle; grease for lubricating firearms; a sling and sling assembly for a rifle; a weapon-mounted light commonly found on AR-15 style weapons; a weapon-mounted sight; and a device to calibrate a weapon's sight. Perry had the items delivered to his girlfriend’s residence in her name and used the items to build an operational AM-15 weapon.

As detailed in the plea agreement, on October 7, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perry’s residence in Dundalk and seized an Anderson Manufacturing rifle model AM-15; a black tactical vest containing two ballistic plates; three loaded rifle magazines; eight rounds of .223 caliber ammunition and other firearm-related accessories. During an interview with law enforcement, Perry insisted that the rifle was purchased and owned by his girlfriend for self-defense purposes. He also claimed to have built the rifle and conceded that the FBI would find his fingerprints on the weapon. Perry also admitted he would have used the weapon himself for self-defense if the situation required it.

Perry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing.