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For Immediate Release:  
For Further Information Contact:
May 23, 2005

Office of The Attorney General
- Peter C. Harvey, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
- Vaughn L. McKoy, Director

 

John R. Hagerty
609-984-1936
Greg Reinert
U.S. Attorney’s Office

856-757-5233

 

Alleged Members of South Jersey Hate Group Arrested by Attorney General’s Division of Criminal Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives on Charges of Trading in Stolen Weapons

Federal Charges Keep Defendants in Custody Without Bail... State Investigation Began as Probe into Bomb Construction...

TRENTON -- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced the arrest of two South Jersey residents, and alleged members of neo-nazi skinhead groups, on a federal charge of possession of stolen weapons by convicted felons. The extensive undercover investigation was coordinated by State Investigators assigned to the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Bias Crimes (DCJ), with the assistance of Special Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE). The investigation is continuing.

The complaints, unsealed in Federal Court earlier today, charged Gabriel Carafa, 24, 11 Leap Court, Pennsville, Salem County and Craig Orler, 28, 1340 Trenton Ave., Whiting, Ocean County, with possession of weapons by a convicted felon. Both Carafa and Orler were arrested on Fri., May 20. The defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Ann Marie Donio in U.S. District Court, Camden, and have been detained without bail. Each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of 15 years to life in federal prison upon conviction.

The six-month undercover investigation, which initially focused on Carafa and a request to have a confidential informant construct a bomb, resulted in Orler and Carafa selling ten stolen rifles and shotguns and one stolen handgun to undercover State Investigators and BATF agents. The stolen weapons purchased by the undercover investigation include:

  • Remington .22 caliber rifle
  • JP Sauer & Sohn .32 caliber revolver
  • Marlin bolt action .12 gauge shotgun
  • Browning .12 gauge shotgun
  • Marlin .35 caliber rifle
  • Springfield .12 gauge shotgun
  • Winchester .20 gauge shotgun
  • Browning .12 gauge shotgun
  • Remington .30-06 caliber rifle
  • A. Francotte double barrel shotgun
  • Steven .12 gauge shotgun
The federal complaint alleges that Orler has at least three prior state convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary, while Carafa has been convicted of bias intimidation and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Both Orler and Carafa are convicted felons and are not allowed to possess weapons.

According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director, Division of Criminal Justice, the Office of Bias Crime investigation determined that Carafa is a known member and leader of both the Church of the Creator and a neo-nazi skinhead group called “The Hated.” Orler is allegedly a member of “The Hated”. Information developed by the Office of Bias Crime determined that The Church of the Creator is based out of Illinois and has a national following. The Hated has a faction in Florida and Massachusetts.

State Investigators Eugene Troyansky and Brian Christensen and Special Agent Mark Potter, BATF, coordinated the investigation for the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Bias Crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Wiener appeared in federal court.

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