Unregistered Machine Guns Found In Atlantic Co. Home: U.S. Attorney

SOMERS POINT, NJ — A Somers Point man was charged after federal authorities discovered unregistered machine guns and other firearms at his home, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.

Michael John James, 30, is charged by complaint with one count of possessing unregistered machineguns and other firearms, as defined under the National Firearms Act. He appeared Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court and was detained, Sellinger said.

Two packages addressed to James' Colwick Drive residence were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in February 2024 under suspicion of them containing controlled substances, officials said.

On Feb. 27, 2024, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the packages, watched James bring the packages into his residence, and executed a search warrant at the residence, where they recovered "dozens of firearms and ballistics items," officials said.

Among the items seized were three operable machine guns, an operable weapon modified to be shorter than a standard rifle, an operable weapon modified to be shorter than a standard shotgun and three silencers, according to authorities.

James has been in the Atlantic County Justice Facility since March 8, according to a past release from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

The prosecutor's office previously said that on Feb. 27, James had in his possession "distribution-level quantities of prescription drugs," including alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium).

Atlantic County authorities also seized ammunition, explosives and more. The prosecutor's office charged James with several drugs and weapons offenses.

James could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing unregistered machine guns.