Bucks County Man Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Possession Of Unregistered Firearm

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Joseph Weikel, age 50, a resident of Quakertown, Pennsylvania was sentenced on February 6, 2025, to 30 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, for possession of an unregistered firearm.   

According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on or about June 28, 2021, Weikel possessed two improvised explosive devices inside his former residence in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. After manufacturing the devices, Weikel concealed them behind the ceiling tiles in his apartment, abandoning them when he was evicted.  The devices were discovered on May 31, 2023, by maintenance workers.  Following their discovery, law enforcement agents disassembled the devices.  They were subsequently analyzed at the FBI Laboratory and identified improvised explosive devices.   Under federal law, it is illegal to manufacture or possess a destructive device without proper authority. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Allentown Field Office and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson prosecuted the case.

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