Saratoga County man possessed machine gun

ALBANY, N.Y. >> A Saratoga County man pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun, possessing handguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and manufacturing marijuana, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Wednesday.

Justin W. May, 36, of Edinburg, faces at least 5 years up to life in prison for the 2016 offense, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 2 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on March 25, 2019.

According to a press release, on April 12, 2016, the New York State Police responded to a call for shots fired on Fox Hill Road in Edinburg. Upon arrival, an individual was immediately taken into custody, but the second shooter, later identified as May, was not visible.

In response, police members looked around May’s property and observed a marijuana grow operation, along with an AR-15type weapon.

May later returned home and was taken into custody, police said. He had two handguns in his vehicle. Police executed a search warrant on the property and found marijuana plants in various stages of growth, approximately six pounds of processed marijuana, two semi-automatic rifles, and other firearms, the release said.

Further examination of one of the rifles — an AR-15 type, .300 Blackout caliber rifle — showed the hammer had been modified to allow the firearm to fire automatically, as a machine gun, police said.

Police said May admitted he knew the Blackout rifle, as modified, was a machine gun, and that he possessed two handguns to protect his marijuana grow operation and drug money.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.