Maryland Man Sentenced To 4 Years In Prison For Stealing Guns
PITTSBURGH, Pa. ‑ A resident of Hyattsville, Md., was sentenced on Dec. 17, 2010, in federal court to 48 months in prison and three years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Gary L Lancaster imposed the sentence on Jason Keller, 30.
According to information presented to the court, Keller stole 30 firearms from the inventory of a federally‑licensed firearms dealer and was part of a conspiracy to steal firearms from that and two other federally‑licensed firearms dealers. Keller and his coconspirators attempted to use a stolen vehicle to pull the front doors from Kaufman's Antique and Gun Shop in Aliquippa, Pa. on July 22, 2007. The strap broke before they were able to gain entrance and they were unsuccessful in stealing guns.
The group, who used the "A‑Team" theme song, attempted to smash a stolen van through the front doors of the Gander Mountain store in Coraopolis, Pa., on Aug. 2, 2007. The van's transmission failed along with the attempt to steal firearms.
The group was successful on Aug. 17, 2007, when they smashed a stolen vehicle through the front doors of FAZI Firearms in Plum Borough, Pa. Keller confessed to selling most of the stolen firearms in the Greater Washington, D.C., area. When arrested, ATF found two sawed‑off shotguns in Keller's home.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Keller.
