The traffic stop of a Maryland man in Central Pennsylvania led to the discovery of a ghost gun among other things.
Douglas Braff is following the investigation and he’s live with more surrounding the man’s arrest.
So, what are ghost guns exactly?
The Blair County District Attorney tells me one place to start is by knowing what ghost guns are not.
“Any gun that’s made by a gun manufacturer that has a serial number on it, if a person removes the serial number or obliterates it or obstructs it in any way, that is not a ghost gun, and that is a violation of state and federal law to deface or remove you know or in any way alter a serial number on a firearm.”
“Ghost guns are typically guns that someone can purchase an uncompleted upper or lower receiver And they can mill them themselves at home to make them functional. And there’s nothing illegal about doing that, as long as you are allowed to possess a firearm.”
“If you’re not allowed to possess a gun with a serial number, you are still not allowed to possess a gun without a serial number.”
And State Police trooper Chris Fox adds that
“If you manufacture a gun with separate parts, as soon as it becomes operable to be fired, you have to get it stamped with a serial number and registered with the ATF.”
Fox also says that if the serial number is simply defaced or obliterated, those are completely separate charges.
“So, the laws that we have on the books right now, in my opinion, really do account for ghost guns. Because if we have individuals who are not allowed to possess firearms, and they’re trying to get around the law by making them themselves, we can still prosecute them for felon not to possess firearm or person not to possess firearm, which is typically a felony under our crimes code and typically carries with it a significant sentence of incarceration.”
