Schuylkill County Man Sentenced To 27 Months In Prison For Illegal Possession Of Unregistered Machineguns

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 51-year-old Schuylkill County man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion in Scranton, for his illegal possession of a fully functional unregistered machinegun, and an unmarked and unregistered drop in auto sear—which is a specific part that makes a semi-automatic rifle fire fully automatic when placed into the weapon. 

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, James Augustus Brauer, previously pleaded guilty in April 2015, at which time he admitted to possession of the machineguns at his home on January 24, 2012.

The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police.

Judge Mannion also ordered that Brauer serve three years on supervised release following his prison sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.      

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