CAMDEN, NJ – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger has announced charges against Michael John James, 30, of Somers Point, New Jersey, for possessing unregistered machine guns and other firearms. The charges were made public following James’ appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court, where he was detained pending further proceedings.
The investigation into James began when U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted two packages in February 2024 addressed to his residence, suspected to contain controlled substances. A controlled delivery of these packages was carried out on February 27, 2024. Following James’ collection of the packages into his home, authorities executed a search warrant, uncovering an arsenal that included dozens of firearms and ballistics items. Notably, the haul included three operable machine guns, weapons modified to be shorter than standard rifles and shotguns, and three silencers.
Possession of these unregistered firearms, as stipulated under the National Firearms Act, is a severe offense carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.