Two men from Hagerstown, Maryland, have pled guilty to being involved in a firearms trafficking operation in Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Christopher Seth St. Clair, aged 24, admitted to making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. His co-defendant, David Lamont Barnes, aged 23, pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Gun Control Act.
Court documents detail that St. Clair and Barnes collaborated with others to acquire firearms and transport them across state lines to other individuals. St. Clair falsely asserted during the purchase that the firearms were not intended for other persons, while Barnes assisted in purchasing and transporting the weapons.
St. Clair faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. Barnes could face up to five years of imprisonment. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and various statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane, and the investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings.