Manassas Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Machine Gun

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Douglas Howard Story, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a machine gun in violation of the National Firearms Act.

Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the plea before United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Story faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on November 2, 2012.

According to court documents, Story came to the attention of law enforcement through a confidential source who saw information Story had posted on an Aryan Nation website indicating that Story was preparing to buy an AK-47 and have it modified to become fully automatic. In various online forums, Story allegedly expressed hatred and support for violence toward a number of political figures.

During the plea, Story admitted providing a semi-automatic AK-47, along with $125, to an undercover law enforcement officer with the intent that it be modified to become fully automatic. He was arrested on May 30, 2012, by members of FBI Washington Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force after receiving the modified weapon from an undercover officer.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. Assistant United States Attorney Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.