Manassas Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Machine Gun

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Douglas Howard Story, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury accused of illegally possessing a machinegun.

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.

Story is charged with making a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

According to court records, 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.

The indictment alleges that Story provided a semi-automatic AK-47, along with $125, to undercover law enforcement 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 allegedly receiving the modified weapon from an undercover agent.

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.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.