Jury Convicts South Florida Man of Manufacturing and Possessing Silencers

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Hugo J. Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the conviction of Andrew David Marshall on charges of manufacturing and possessing various silencers without a license. The case was tried before. The jury returned its guilty verdict yesterday afternoon.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 24, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lenard. At sentencing, Marshall faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

This investigation began in mid-2007, after an individual contacted the FBI to report their concern about Andrew David Marshall, whom the source felt had become isolated and paranoid.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Marshall lived alone on a small boat in the Dinner Key Marina off the shores of Coconut Grove and rented a storage unit in Miami. During the investigation that followed, agents executed a search warrant for the boat and storage unit. A search of the boat and storage unit resulted in the seizure of approximately 15 inert grenades, a grenade launcher, an inert rocket, the ingredients to make gun powder, fuse, two assault rifles, and one rifle with a bipod and laser scope. The agents also recovered silencer component parts, which Marshall made on a machine in his storage unit. A separate search of his computer revealed, among other things, numerous instructional books on how to be a sniper and how to construct silencers.

The indictment and trial were the culmination of an investigation by the FBI and ATF. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their assistance. The case was prosecuted at trial by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Gilfarb and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moore.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.