Coraopolis Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Machine Gun
| U.S. Attorney’s Office November 22, 2011 |
PITTSBURGH, PA—A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of a machine gun, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on Nov. 15, and unsealed today, names Martin Joseph Saunders, 48, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, Saunders transferred parts designed to convert a weapon into a machine gun.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.