CAMDEN, N.J. – -(AmmoLand.com)- A Virginia man has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiring to traffic 35 guns into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Shawn K. Harvey, 54, of Locust Grove, Virginia, was previously convicted of one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and three counts of trafficking firearms following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence Dec. 17, 2019, in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial: Shawn K. Harvey and his son, Shawn M. Harvey, a/k/a “Munchy,” 29, also of Locust Grove, were originally arrested in August 2016 after agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) directed and supervised a sting operation using a confidential informant, who purchased firearms from the Harveys at a parking lot in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
Ultimately, the Harveys sold 35 firearms – including assault-style rifles, revolvers, shotguns, and semi-automatic handguns – in 11 separate transactions spanning several weeks.
One of these firearms was reported stolen in Virginia and many of the guns were brand new and came with ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Shawn K. Harvey to three years of supervised release. Shawn M. Harvey previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 8, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited ATF special agents, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, Newark Field Division, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: A. Harold Kokes Esq., Pleasantville, New Jersey
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
Wow, the way I read the 2A is we ” the people have the right and are mandated to keep and bear arms.” Unless someone is under age, in jail or the loony farm, every American citizen has the right to keep and bear arms. Sooner or later those who legislate, judge, lawyer, enforce or finance laws that are treasonous to the constitution, the people and the nation are going to be prosecuted, sentenced and have the sentence carried out. The lawful, legitimate sentence for treason is death. I hope it goes through the courts but we Americans have seen… Read more »
Just think when they pass UBC’s across this country you can be a gun trafficker by giving your guns to your grand children, nieces and nephews without the govt permission for each transactions.
Not much in the Constitution regarding the funding, or granting authority to a federal “law enforcement” agency which is entirely unaccountable to tax payers. So, without that, they’re merely armed thugs who use intimidation, armed robbery, and outright murder to implement their agenda. An agenda which includes trafficking firearms to cartels and terrorists. Time for ATFE to go, before they get more letters, and more taxpayer money.
Basically the guy is going to a cage because he engaged in free enterprise. A right cannot be converted into something you have to pay for.
This is an interesting one. First why would U.S. attourneys attemt to enforce New Jersey state law? Unless Harvey intended to make a profit from these sales, I see this case as bogus. Judge Hillman allowed this to proceed as trafficking from one State to another?
Because this is a Federal agency and not a State, they should not be enforcing state law.
Somebody correct me here if I’m wrong, it seems something is not right with this one.
I don’t believe a single thing in this ATF bullshit propaganda, other than a citizen was arrested and sentenced using ATF “evidence” and a “sting” operation and a “confidential informant”. Too many times the ATF has lied, falsified information and even murdered innocent citizens for me to believe anything these incompetent Government thugs put out. By and large, they are a joke to the Law Enforcement Community at all levels and it is known that if you can’t even qualify for a job as a mall cop, the ATF will hire you and eventually make you a “Special Agent in… Read more »
“ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations.” Yep! The “atf” is a NON-ELECTED BUREAUCRATIC governmental agency that WE THE LEGAL LAW ABIDING AMERICAN CITIZEN had NO SAY and was created and formed ILLEGALLY by the IRS.
Why is Ammoland posting press releases from door-kicking puppy-shooting kitten-stomping baby-burners?
These people are the *enemy*.
I don’t get the hate towards the ATF. Here were two dirt bags selling guns to gangbangers. We preach that the government should enforce existing laws. Well these two were buying guns and engaging in interstate commerce in violation of federal and NJ law. The ATF targeted dirt bags breaking the law. These are the people that make it bad for legitimate gun owners. Yet, here we have ATF hate when we should be encouraging them to keep up targeting more dirt bags.