U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
Saint Paul Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Dealing Firearms Without a License
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the sentencing of EITAN BENJAMIN FELDMAN, 30, to 18 months in prison for illegally dealing in firearms without a license. The defendant pleaded guilty on April 29, 2016, and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in United States District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Feldman’s actions in this case put firearms in the hands of criminals in the Twin Cities, and jeopardized public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge of the St. Paul Field Division James C. Modzelewski. “Today’s sentence should send a message to our community that ATF is committed to working with local police and prosecutors to identify illegal sources of firearms, and hold them accountable. If we’re going to impact gun violence in our communities, we all need to work together to prevent criminals from getting guns.”
“Stemming the flow of illicit firearm sales is an important priority for law enforcement,” said Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Bejar. “Engaging in the business of unlicensed firearms sales is a serious crime that circumvents the critical background check routinely performed by legitimate licensed firearms dealers to prevent those persons who cannot legally possess firearms from acquiring them.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, between January 2014 and January 2016, FELDMAN regularly dealt firearms without a license by repeatedly purchasing firearms and offering them for resale within days of getting them. FELDMAN routinely purchased firearms offered by out-of-state Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) through websites such as gunbroker.com, an online firearms auction site. He arranged to have the firearms transferred to L.E. Gun Sales, a FFL in Minnesota, where he got the guns after completing and signing the appropriate documentation.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, during the same time period, FELDMAN regularly listed and offered the same firearms for sale – often at a higher price than what he paid – on armslist.com. On average, FELDMAN made a potential $90 profit on each firearm he resold. Of the 41 guns FELDMAN purchased and re-sold during this time, the average time he actually possessed a gun before offering it for resale was only nine days.
In July 2015, an ATF Special Agent told FELDMAN that some of the firearms he had received at L.E. Gun Sales, and subsequently sold, had been linked to crime scenes within days of FELDMAN taking possession of and selling the guns.
Despite being informed by ATF Agents that some of the firearms he had purchased and resold had been linked to crime scenes within days of his illicit transactions, the defendant continued to willfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Most egregiously, even after ATF Agents served the defendant with a written warning notice and explained that his actions were almost certainly in violation of federal law, the defendant continued his unlicensed and illegal dealing in firearms.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minneapolis Police Department, the Saint Paul Police Department and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
EITAN BENJAMIN FELDMAN, 30
Saint Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
-
Willfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, 1 count
Sentenced:
Updated August 30, 2016
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