'Silent Machine Guns' 3D Printed By Montco Traffickers: DA

NORRISTOWN, PA — A massive gun trafficking organization based in Montgomery County and operating across seven other counties has been busted, authorities announced Tuesday.

The group created and sold an unknown number of 3D-printed ghost guns, suppressors, and "switches," which are devices that convert firearms to machine guns, the district attorney's office announced. They also illegally re-sold firearms they'd straw-purchased in stores, a common way for criminals and juveniles to obtain weapons.

Nine individuals were arrested, the district attorney's office announced. Seven of them are from Montgomery County.

"This gun trafficking organization was arming criminals," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. "That criminal activity alone threatens the safety of our communities. But this group went much further extending their criminal activities by selling switches to transform the semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns, making them exponentially more deadly."

The combination of items created and trafficked by the organization produced so-called "silent machine guns" without serial numbers, many of which remain on the streets in eastern Pennsylvania, Steele said. Only 17 of 31 weapons sold by the group have been recovered thus far.

"The risk to community members and law enforcement officials across Montgomery County, across the Commonwealth, and across the United States is simply unmeasurable," Steele added.

The group operated out of a storage unit and various homes around Pottstown, police said.

Upper Merion, Pottstown, New Hanover, Philadelphia

announce the dismantling of a gun trafficking organization that was illegally buying and
selling store-bought firearms as well as manufacturing and selling an unknown number
of 3D-printed “ghost guns,” suppressors (aka silencers) and machine gun conversion
devices, known as “switches.”

Authorities began investigating the group back on Feb. 1 after investigating a stabbing in Pottstown. The teenage, juvenile victim initially told police he'd been attacked after an argument over a small amount of marijuana, but further investigation found that he was stabbed while trying to illegally sell a firearm, the DA said.

The investigation into that single firearm sale led authorities to the broader organization. Cellphone downloads, tracking of numerous firearms purchases using hard copies of ATF and Pennsylvania state police forms at gun stores, surveillance, interviews, social media analysis, and more ultimately gave investigators a more complete picture.

The group purchased weapons from stores in Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, Lehigh, Wayne and Westmoreland counties, police said. They kept some for themselves, and sold many others, officials added.

Multiple weapons sold by the group in the past several months have already been used in crimes. Two were used in road rage incidents, police said.

Individuals arrested from Pottstown include Michael Needling, 28, (15 illegal transfers); Keith Chaney, 26, (six illegal transfers); James Hiller, 18, (four illegal transfers); Desmond Bennett, 32, (six illegal transfers); and Maleec Borders, 23, (four illegal transfers); Ryan Stoudt, 25, (two illegal transfers); and Horace Keiffer, 36, (one illegal transfer).

Also arrested were Lucas Groff, 28, of Boyertown (eight illegal transfers, 3D printing lead); and Nathaniel Arroyo, 27, of Birdsboro (eight illegal transfers).

The group was charged with a wide variety of counts, including corrupt organization, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, aggravated assault, crimes committed with firearms, persons not to possess firearms, prohibited offensive weapons, and criminal conspiracy.

Preliminary hearings will be scheduled following arraignment and bail postings in the coming days.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, New Hanover police, Upper Merion police, Pottstown police, Pennsylvania state police, and the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office worked together on the case.