Chesapeake Resident Smuggled Silencers into the United States from Canada

NORFOLK, Va. – Benjamin Lloyd Fisher, 42, of Chesapeake, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of smuggling goods into the United States and being a prohibited person based on a prior domestic violence conviction.

According to court documents, the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) investigation of a citizen of Canada revealed that he was smuggling firearms, silencers and mechanisms to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a machinegun, into the United States.  A search of the Canadian citizen’s email account revealed that he was selling silencers to Fisher, and together they had worked out a plan to smuggle the silencers into the United States.  A search warrant was executed at Fisher’s residence in Chesapeake where ATF agents found 13 firearms including pistols, rifles, shotguns, thousands of rounds of ammunitions, and six complete silencers and two silencer parts.  The defendant is a prohibited person as he was previously convicted of a domestic violence crime which makes it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

Fisher faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Charles E. Smith,  Special Agent in Charge of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the grand jury returned an indictment today against Fisher.  Fisher had previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on a criminal complaint.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William Muhr is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:15-cr-271.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

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