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
RIGHT ON !!
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.
And if not arrested, treated with a headache from about 300 yards.
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.
Makes me think of me sitting next to Randy at the dinner table and him telling me how Sammy liked home grown green beans referring to the ones that my wife had picked from the garden and we were eating. I almost choked on mine. This was at his house when he lived in Bergmann Arkansas.
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.
I’ll bet he’ll never trust the police ever again. He thinks he’s doing the right thing and is now in serious trouble over fuel filters.
Good question? He turned in fuel filters and was arrested for having fuel filters? He should sue these buffoons for being stupid and he should make it hurt too.
One pound? Hell that won’t even load 33 50 BMG cartridges!
He should have buried or torched them and be done with it,shovel and shut ups no good deed goes unpunished as he discovered.
It would have been hard to bury and torch the cops and their partners in crime in this case. LOL!
He sounds like a Fudd or Democrat looking to be in the news.
they are. IF they prevail, the man will never have to worry about what to have for supper, where to sleep, what to wear, or have topay any more taxes. He will always be in the right place at the right time, never have another bilkl to pay. See how gummit takes such good care of their people?
Stalin would be proud.
No. American men are being turned into outlaws–in violation of Article I, Sections 9 & 10 of the US Constitution, which prohibits Bills of Attainder or Bills of Pains & Penalties. A simple explanation of a bill of attainder is: “a law that plunders life, liberty, and property.” “A bill of attainder is a law or legal device used to outlaw people, suspend their civil rights, confiscate property, punish or put people to death without a trial.” — Bill Of Attainder Project, Saunders, 1995, COCR- (CC#93-1-1037). https://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/31-31/33846-the-bill-of-attainder-project
Yep. The Bergen County Prosecutor is a Demoncrat. He’s also a failed attorney that couldn’t make it in private practice. He used to do child support enforcement defenses where he just stood there mute while the father was hammered by the judge and thrown in jail. This constituted legal malpractice in every case he did this in. The guy should NOT be an attorney. He’s nothing more than a pettifogger.
My take on this is that hr knew what he was buying. Turning it into the police was him showing what a “good” person he was, kinda like Gifford’s hubby buying an AR , and then wanting to destroy it. Only in this case it came back to bite him in the butt.
Now this asshole wants to become a SENATOR, what a joke !!
Never trust anything that comes from the EAST or WEST coast !!
Lesson # 1 Don’t trust anyone in local, state, or federal to help or stand by you even if you think you are doing right and by the book, pages have a bad thing of disappearing, or we never said that!!!! #2 , only ask questions, don’t say anything to incriminate yourself, just act stupid, they love to think than they are really smarter than you so learn to play the game to get the answers, you can get a wealth of information that way!!!!!!!!!
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.
One site sells a tube that goes on a gun and claims it collects the solvent and oil from gun cleaning. Legal? Don’t know but it seems to be the same thing as this.
Yes, it’s a solvent trap, and as is it’s perfectly legal. However, drill a whole through it, and now it’s something else entirely. I guarantee the items this guy tried turning over to the police were perfectly legal in their current form.
And if he goes to trial, a decent JURY that knows what a CRIME is. NO VICTIM. NO CRIME. PERIOD.
A Pringles can has the POTENTIAL to be a suppressor, yet I’m betting these filters this guy turned in were no more illegal than a Pringles can.
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 »
Criminals always take their contraband to the police, twice.
Great Comment!!
Well, hell yeah! Makes sense doesn’t it? CAGE THAT CRIMINAL! HE BROUGHT US ITEMS THAT ARE “BAD” TWICE!!!
The two tragic things here are:
1) The instagram ad that he bought from shows exactly what he was buying so the idea that he was surprised when it arrived seems fishy (or extremely stupid)
2) There is about a 99% chance that the “fuel filters” he bought are perfectly legal and are NOT suppressors, unless/until someone drills out the end cap.
It’s not illegal to be stupid. If it were, it would solve our elections problem.
Yep, no doubt there were a number of modifications that needed to be made to turn them into suppressors. I would almost guarantee they weren’t functioning silencers, and last I checked, simply “looking like a silencer” isn’t illegal in ANY state in the country.
The “Peoples Republic of New Jersey” is a communist state led by communists.
So people are surprised? It’s New Jersey.
Exactly. Also known as New Nazi Jersey.
What surprises me is that people still live there.
I hope Mr. Moran tears Carlstadt, NJ and any NJ state/Federal Agencies who are involved NEW AZZHOLES IN COURT!!! And I hope any individuals who are involved in this travesty of justice get new azzholes torn along with the agencies!!! GOOD LuCK, SIR!!!
Law abiding citizens need to get out of these Dem run SHITHOLES if possible! I’m so sick of this type of shit!!
Why didn’t he just throw the fuel filters in the trash can and burn the boxes with his name on them
Uhh…because why? The fact that these are in any way shape or form “illegal” tells you something about the totally screwed up “system”.
Because he’s not a criminal and thought he was doing the right thing by complying with the law. That’ll show him, never trust the police, and there isn’t an attorney alive today who won’t tell you the same thing.
Never trust a cop of any kind.
IMOA, The NJ police just got the reputation (Or confirmed) that they can’t be trusted to do the right thing over fuel filters. The guy should of chucked them in the trash if they’re not needed. Who would ever turn anything in no matter how innocent it is ever again after this story gets out?
Guy needs to sue LE for a BS arrest and the Bergen County Prosecutor for his remarks and make it hurt too.
Looks like another fool who believes cops are on his side and would never violate his rights.
When will people learn. THEY ARE NOT on your side. All they wan to do is make arrests so they can get PROMOTED and get better pay!
Once he realised what he had MIGHT be illegal, his decision to turn them over to the coppers was way dumb.. of course, we here have 20/20 hindsight in our favour, he did not. If I had come into something like this that I suspected was not legal to posssess, I think I’d have opened the package, broken it down into smallish pieces, gotten a few bags of potato chips or other such grabage, tossed one into the bottom of that bag, walked down some street munching the crisps, and when approaching a conveineintly placed dustbin wadded up the bag,… Read more »
I lived in NJ for a time during the 1980’s. It was well on its way to becoming the bastion of lefties it now (proudly) claims to be. My experience involved the purchase of a 1911 Colt .45 govt model pistol. I was then a SGT in the NJ National Guard and wanted the gun to practice marksmanship for qualifications. I was shocked at the level of scrutiny I underwent as well as the extreme amount of justification the authorities demanded from me including a signed affidavit from my unit Company Commander. Now I wasn’t asking for a CCW permit.… Read more »
New Jersey gun control laws are taken verbatim from the 1938 Nazi Weapons Law, or are very similar. The pertinent law says you have to be of good character to obtain a firearms permit, based on your town’s Chief of Police subjectively deciding to give it to you. It seems that in New Jersey, the AG’s office has told local police chiefs to deny ALL gun permits, forcing everyone to go into Superior Court to argue their case. Read on: N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3 showing how SUBJECTIVE the law is, especially Section (c)(5): 2C:58-3. a. Permit to purchase a handgun. No person shall… Read more »
These are still being advertised on FaceBook. I saw the ad just a few minutes ago…..buyer beware. I believe it is a govt. run trap with the Postal Service assisting.
Perhaps that warning should be NJ buyer beware. If you live in Arizona nothing to worry about.
I can scroll up to advertisements on THIS page, looks like from Amazon Prime, pushing the same kind of stuff.
In New Jersey & New York, you DO NOT engage the police in those states. They are nothing more than anti-Second Amendment jackbooted thugs.
Secondly, Bergen County Prosector Mark Musella is a political hack. He used to be appointed counsel for child support enforcement cases where the father was facing contempt and jail time. Scumbag Musella used to stand there like a cigar store wooden Indian in court, and let the guy get hammered by the Judge. Musella committed legal malpractice in doing this to numerous fathers and should not be practicing law of any kind.
Trump says he doesn’t like suppressors. And by extension, fuel filters…..
Proof he said that
https://www.mediaite.com/trump/trump-condemns-gun-silencers-after-virginia-beach-shooting-i-dont-like-them-at-all/
Plus a few dozen other pages everywhere on the web. Please try to keep up.
Better Trump who doesn’t like them than Biden who wants to get rid of them AND all the guns you’d use them with.
Not liking them isn’t the same as banning them. Trump also doesn’t like Sushi or hotdogs but he’s not trying to ban them. That’s the great thing about Trump; he doesn’t believe the federal government should be telling people what they can and can’t do.
One question mathew.
Did you learn anything?
Funny thing I noticed here. It seems those of us who consider ourselves Conservatives have something in common with those we refer to as ANTIFA. That being, neither group trusts the police or the government.
Now I’m not suggesting anything but you must admit there’s more than a little irony to it.
We believe in Law and Order. When it is proven that there is corruption and they are going after innocent people, we are against that. We are completely different than Antifa that not only attacks police, destroys public and private property, but also attacks innocent people, including children and the elderly.
I saw a video on youtube of a guy whose channel involves work on lots of diesel trucks and equipment. He, too, ordered filters from ebay. ATF had been alerted that the seller was offering these filters as “silencer parts.” They were still the fully intact, unmodified filters. One needed to machine a part to mate the filter to the barrel, but once that was done virtually any oil filter would work. These ones are apparently popular for use as a silencer part because they are long and narrow so your sights can still be used. But, again, they are… Read more »
OK so we have the Defense’s version what actually is the D.A.s?
Why is he buying “fuel filters” From China since they not only cost more than at NAPA but the shipping is excessive.
Also why is he buying a “Fuel Filter that has no filter material in it but does have all sorts of baffles?
Things to think about when reading articles like this.
The article has a link to the DA’s version.
Ad says “FREE SHIPPING” if you buy two.
Ad shows the filters priced at $45.98. An internet search shows these filters at prices of $64.99 and higher. NAPA’s website lists it for $99.99 but I can 20% off with my AAA membership.
And the ad shows what he was buying. Likewise if you look for the product from NAPA online (as apparently you did) it also shows what you are buying.
No one with an IQ above room temperature thinks that item is a fuel filter for any car of truck.
In Finland you have to use them so you don’t scare the neighbors livestock while hunting. They are over the counter items. But we live in the “free” United States. Yeah, right.
We should be able to have full-auto as well. …shall not be infringed. We the People have allowed them to get by with way too much for way too long.
Per US government lawyers in front of the Supreme Court in the Miller case, military grade weapons are the only thing protected and covered by the 2nd. If it isn’t good enough to use in war/military as well as defense, it isn’t protected, they said.
Full auto is our right. As are laser cannons when we perfect them, and plasma rays.
Ever see a fuel water separator?
I would never even think of buying an auto related part from anywhere else but an auto supply store (JC. Whitney catalog the sole exception).
Why? There are plenty of quality auto parts to be found for less money all over the internet. I’ve purchased wheels, fenders, brake pads and rotors, fuels pumps, alternators, etc. through similar methods. Maybe you like paying extra for a brick and mortar location, but there a plenty of good deals to be had by ordering online. It’s the 21st century, come join us.