State targets gun kit sales
A week after announcing the arrests of four Philadelphia men on firearms charges following surveillance at the Morgantown Gun Show in Berks County, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Monday that the state’s largest gun show promoter has agreed to ban the sale of do-it-yourself gun kits.
Shapiro called the ban of “ghost gun” kits imposed by Breinigsville-based firearms dealer Eagle Arms at all its gun shows a significant step in curtailing the growing threat to public safety from
the privately assembled firearms.
“This is a significant step,” Shapiro said, standing at a podium placarded with the words “Untrackable” and “Ghost Guns” and displaying one of the 80% ready-made receiver kits that were displayed by the hundreds at the Morgantown show.
“First in the nation,” he said. “It’s a voluntary ban by this company.”
The sale of the 80% receiver kits is legal. The law is broken when the guns are assembled and get in the hands of people who aren’t legally allowed to have a firearm, or are used in a crime, Shapiro explained.
The weapons are called “ghost guns” because they do not contain serial numbers or other types of identification.
The dealer who was selling the ghost gun kits at Morgantown estimated he sold 6,000 of them in the first 2½ months of this year, Shapiro said.
“Six thousand of these have been sold without a background check,” he said incredulously.
Shapiro said Eagle Arms agreed to the ban after a week of talks with his office that began in earnest following the seizure of fully assembled ghost guns that were made from kits purchased at the Morgantown show in late February.
“I want to encourage other gun show providers to take a moment, like Eagle Arms did, and think about your responsibility to end this violence in Philadelphia, in Reading, in Harrisburg, … in so many communities racked by gun violence,” Shapiro said. “It’s time to stop with the ‘thoughts and prayers.’ It’s time to stop pretending that the Second Amendment allows criminals to bypass our gun laws.”
Shapiro was followed up at podium by state Rep. Amen Brown, a first-term Democrat whose district covers West Philadelphia neighborhoods affected by gun violence. The attorney general said Brown was instrumental in bringing the parties together.
Brown said after visiting one of the company’s gun shows and watching how easy it was for individuals to purchase ghost guns and knowing these same types of guns are being used in his district to commit crimes, he recognized that immediate action was needed. Eagle Arms Production holds about 42 gun shows in the state each year, he said.
“It is my job to do everything I can to fight for and protect my community,” Brown said. “It is beyond heartbreaking to see how many lives are being lost and how many families are left in anguish due to senseless gun violence – the impact on my community is grave.”
Shapiro said those arrested as a result of the undercover investigation bought the gun kits to assemble into firearms, which then were sold to those who wouldn’t pass a background check at a firearms dealer. According to authorities: Najaye Davis, 19, bought multiple 80% receiver ready-made gun kits with large amounts of cash at the Morgantown Gun Show on Feb. 27. He and a co-conspirator were seen leaving the venue and driving east toward Philadelphia.
Agents obtained a search warrant for Davis’ residence in Philadelphia. On March 5, agents seized three fully functioning ghost guns without serial numbers, one 80% receiver, $8,600, and additional firearm parts, including trigger assemblies, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and loaded and unloaded multiple extended magazines.
The investigation revealed Davis was in a criminal enterprise that made and sold ghost guns without serial numbers on the streets in Philadelphia, making $500 on each sale.
On Feb. 28, Malachi Matthews and Kenneth Manni bought four 80% receiver kits at the same gun show and left. The car was watched until they arrived at a residence on 21st Street in Philadelphia, where agents suspected an
illegal gun manufacturing and trafficking operation was taking place.
On March 2, agents with the attorney general’s Gun Violence Task Force and Organized Crime served a search warrant and recovered four 80% receiver gun kits, two fully assembled unserialized ghost guns, one Smith & Wesson revolver, two boxes of ammunition, multiple magazines, 13 packets of suspected fentanyl, two digital scales, and a drill used to assemble the weapons.
Matthews, Manni and Montague Coker were at house during the raid. Coker and Matthews tried to flee through the roof. Coker and Matthews are previously convicted felons and considered ineligible to possess a firearm.
Matthews, Manni and Coker were arrested March 2. Matthews and Coker are charged with three counts each of violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, and Manni is charged with possession of fentanyl and other violations of the Uniform Firearms Act.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Gun Violence Task Force.
Davis was arrested March 5 and is charged with six counts of illegal transfer of a firearm, and one count each of dealing in unlawful proceeds and participating in a corrupt organization.
His case is being prosecuted by the attorney general’s Gun Violence Task Force.
All the defendants are in federal custody. Further details were not provided.
These investigations were conducted in partnership with the attorney general’s Gun Violence Task Force and Organized Crime Section, Philadelphia Police Department, Berks County detectives, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.