North Kingtown Man Convicted Of 3D Printing Guns

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A North Kingstown man was convicted in Washington County Superiour Court for 3D printing guns at his home.

Nicholas Dailey, 30, pleaded nolo contendre to two counts of manufacturing and possession of a ghost gun produced by a 3D printing process. Dailey was sentenced to four years in prison with one year to serve at the Rhode Island ACI in Cranston.

"Since ghost guns were banned in Rhode Island in mid-2020, our office has prosecuted nearly 50 cases where these untraceable firearms are being found in the hands of individuals involved in criminal activity," Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. "Ghost guns are fully operable firearms without serial numbers that thus cannot be traced by law enforcement after they are used in criminal activity. There is no question that they are the gun of choice for many Rhode Island criminals, and present a clear threat to public safety."

Dailey was arrested on May 4, 2021. Warwick police got a tip that Dailey had ghost guns and pulled him over. Police searched his car and found two 17-round 9 mm pistol magazines, along with several spent 9 mm shell casings. Officers noticed that the magazines did not have manufacturer's markings on them, and the material they were made from displayed a pattern of parallel lines consistent with markings of items printed with a 3D printer.

Dailey then admitted to having two 3D printed guns at home. Police searched his house and found two 3D printed guns. Detectives also seized three defective 3D printed Glock 17 frames, a 3D printer, a laptop, and a box of 9 mm ammunition.

Dailey later admitted to 3D printing copies of Glock 17 frames and magazines based on plans that he had downloaded from the internet. He also admitted to ordering gun parts that he used to complete the ghost guns.

The two ghost guns were successfully test fired at the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory and deemed to be operable.