Farmington Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms Laws

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kenneth Kwak, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division, announced that SAAR Corporation, a firearms manufacturer in Farmington, and two of its principals pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to violating federal firearms laws.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 2, 2015, ATF Industry Operations Investigators performed a firearms compliance inspection of SAAR Corporation, located at 81 Spring Lane in Farmington.  SAAR Corporation manufactured firearms frames and receivers for other federal firearm licensees who built the frames and receivers obtained from SAAR into fully functioning firearms by adding other components, such as a barrel and trigger.  The frame or receiver of a firearm is the part of the firearm that provides housing for the hammer, bolt, or breechblock, and the firing mechanism.  Although a stand-alone frame or receiver cannot fire a round, it is deemed a firearm under federal firearm laws.

The investigation revealed that SAAR Corporation did not maintain proper Acquisition & Disposition (A&D) records for more than 40,000 frames and receivers it manufactured.

Despite the lack of A&D records, the ATF inspection team, with assistance from SAAR Corporation, was eventually able to account for, and ascertain the transfer location of, all of the frames and receivers.

In addition, the National Firearms Act (“NFA”) provides that it is unlawful for any person or entity to possess any NFA-regulated firearm, such as a machine gun, that is not registered to that person or entity.  Investigators determined that SAAR Corporation had manufactured, and was knowingly in possession of, three machine guns that were not registered to it in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) maintained by ATF.  SAAR Corporation failed to register the machine guns in the NFRTR, and failed to maintain records required by the Gun Control Act reflecting SAAR Corporation’s manufacture of these firearms.  The machine guns were turned over to ATF.

“It is vitally important that all firearm manufacturers comply with federal firearms laws and maintain proper records throughout the production and distribution process,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.  “These laws exist so that all legal firearms are recorded and can be traced after they are manufactured.  Fortunately, thanks to the diligence of ATF investigators, all of the firearm frames and receivers involved in this case are now accounted for.  This case clearly demonstrates that gun manufacturers who violate federal laws will face license revocation and criminal prosecution.”

“When firearms licensees fail to comply with these federal regulations and laws, they open the door for firearms to wind up on the street in the hands of traffickers and criminals, said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Kwak.  “Today’s guilty pleas and the license revocations demonstrate our commitment to hold firearms licensees accountable when they place public safety at risk.”

SAAR Corporation, and its owners, Mariusz Saar 61, of Avon, and Luke Saar, 36, of Farmington, each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to maintain firearms records.  Under the terms of binding plea agreements, if accepted by the court, the parties have agreed that sentences of probation and fines totaling $150,000 is appropriate in this case.  The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson on July 27, 2018.

SAAR Corporation’s federal license to manufacture firearms has been revoked, and the company has agreed that it will not reapply at any time in the future for a federal firearms manufacturing license.  In addition, Mariusz Saar and Luke Saar agree that they will not challenge SAAR Corporation’s revocation in any administrative or civil proceeding, and that they cannot be a “responsible person” on the license of any federal firearms licensee (FFL) in the future.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.