AmmoLand News has reported previously on the risk, history, and current state of 80% silencers. This post highlights the danger for patriots in non-free states.
Carlstadt, New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- New Jersey resident Mathew Moran tried to do the right thing.
Moran ordered “fuel filters” from an advertisement on Instagram. When the package arrived from China, it had two items that looked more like silencers to him than fuel filters.
Moran went to a friend at NAPA Auto Parts who explained to him that these items were not actually fuel filters, that he knew others who had mistakenly ordered them, and that he should get rid of them.
The next day, Moran voluntarily surrendered these “fuel filters” to the Carlstadt Police Department.
New Jersey law,NJS 2C:39-12, specifically encourages the voluntary surrender of silencers and other regulated items to the police and grants immunity for such voluntary surrender.
While voluntarily surrendering these items, Moran told the Carlstadt detective that he had made two purchases of which he received only one and that he was canceling the second order.
Moran notified the China-based Instagram vendor, PayPal, and his bank to cancel the second order and payment. He also alerted the US Post Office that he refuses delivery of any package from this seller.
To his surprise, approximately 10 days later, a second package still arrived at his home. He immediately put the box in his car and drove directly to the police station to voluntarily surrender it, as he had done with the first purchase.
After parking at the borough hall, he proceeded to walk up to the police department located there. Before entering the building, however, a cadre of Federal and State Government agents stopped and arrested him.
Mr. Moran is represented by the law firm of Evan F. Nappen Attorney at Law PC.
Attorney Evan Nappen stated, “In other words, in response to Moran’s initiating contact with law enforcement, voluntarily surrendering a package of questionable ‘fuel filters’ that he received, informing the authorities about a second potential package, and doing everything that he could to stop its delivery – Government surveilled him, followed him, and set up a trap to arrest him.”
After the arrest, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella quickly issued a news release painting Moran as an “international arms-trafficker” who “smuggled” contraband into the country. The smear included publication of his personal picture without his permission and claims that he had “numerous firearms, high capacity magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition and police issued ballistic vests.”
The press release fails to mention that ammunition is routinely sold by the case containing 500-to-1000 rounds per case, and that it is not unlawful to possess firearms, ammunition, or ballistic vests in New Jersey.
Large-capacity magazines are the subject of an ongoing federal constitutional legal challenge in response to Governor Murphy’s recent enactment, and Moran has not been charged with possession of large-capacity magazines. Moran has only been charged with possession of alleged silencers (advertised on Instagram as ‘fuel filters”), which he attempted to voluntarily surrender.
Prosecutor Musella’s news release praises Bergen County Detective Chief Robert Anzilotti and Homeland Security Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina for the arrest.
Moran is an active member of two local churches, a volunteer firefighter for over twenty years, and Fire Chief of the town at the time of his arrest. Stay tuned to Ammoland News for updates as this case proceeds.
About Evan Nappen
Known as “America’s Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Host of the praised “Gun Lawyer” Podcast, author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, weapons history, and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades, it’s no wonder he’s become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry, and national media outlets.
Called on regularly by radio, television, and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news, Evan has appeared on countless shows including Fox, CNN, Court TV, WOR-New York.
As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America.
The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help. -Ronald Reagan
This just goes to show that 99% of Americans are honest and naive. The Government is not here to help up. Never tell on yourself, especially to the Law. What a damn shame
I have heard of, and personally know of so many events of the same ilk. New Jersey is a police state and it is in violation of the constitution.
The officers violating their oath should be arrested.
i just posted something about politicians and the press being liars.
this is why you do not trust any government official. for doing what he thought was the right thing, this guy could potentially face years in prison.
and they wonder why people don’t like them.
nazi’s are nice to you if you are on their side, otherwise, well i think you know what happens to those people. and from what i’ve seen and read about nj, murphy appears to be the re-incarnation of hitler and nj law enforcement is the gestapo.
Trust me, I am with the government!!! The sky is green, the check is in the mail, I won’t raise your taxes and I won’t…. These fuel filters have to be drilled out to become a suppressor. According to the story this was not done. The only crime he is guilty of is trusting/talking to the cops/government. I doubt he will make that mistake again…….. ever. Any law that is repugnant to the constitution is null and void. Mulberry vs Madison. Thus, all laws that would delay or deny one’s 2amendment RIGHT is illegal. The atfe should be disbanded or… Read more »
Always remember a cops excuse for violating the Constitution….”I’m just doing my job.” Never trust the cops particularly the FBI who have proven themselves to be partisan hacks.
If not drilled out they are not suppressors, they have the potential to be yes, but then the pipe in my garage has the potential to be a gun as well. Hopefully he has a good lawyer and gets a decent Judge.
The cops in this situation should be ASHAMED of themselves for not protecting the constitution they SWORE to uphold! COWARDS is all they will EVER BE!!
All for an item that comes standard on any motor vehicle, a sound suppressor.
I’ll say it over and over again. The ENFORCERS are the problem. Always have, always will be. What were they doing at CONCORD GREEN? ENFORCING the will of the tyrant king! What are they doing here in this guys life? Enforcing the will of the tyrant “law makers” that make innocuous item possession into a “crime”! One of the solutions is to VOTE NOT GUILTY on a JURY if you happen to be picked the other is to consider RESISTING THE ENFORCERS! They all want to go home too. “And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would… Read more »