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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni announced
that a Pennsylvania man was sentenced to state
prison today for selling guns – including
assault rifles, semi-automatic handguns and
sawed-off shotguns – to an undercover
State Police detective from the auto repair
shop where he worked in Chatham, N.J.
According
to Director Gramiccioni, David Charles Murray,
26, who formerly lived in Chatham but now
lives in Equinunk, Pa., was sentenced to seven
years in state prison, including 3 ½
years without possibility of parole, by Superior
Court Judge Thomas V. Manahan in Morris County.
Murray pleaded guilty on Feb. 23 to a five-count
accusation charging him with second- and third-degree
gun offenses as well as fourth-degree possession
of illegal hollow point bullets.
The
charges resulted from an undercover investigation
by the New Jersey State Police Street Gangs
Bureau, North Unit, and the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Deputy Attorney General Erin Callahan prosecuted
the case for the Division of Criminal Justice
Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.
“The
majority of guns used in crimes that are recovered
by police in New Jersey come from out of state,”
said Attorney General Milgram. “We
are committed to stopping the illegal flow
of guns into New Jersey. Every gun we recover
is potentially a life saved in our state.”
The New Jersey State Police began investigating
Murray in August 2008 after receiving information
that he was selling guns in New Jersey that
he purchased in Pennsylvania. The State Police
enlisted the aid of the ATF and worked cooperatively
with its agents. As part of the investigation,
an undercover State Police detective arranged
to purchase guns from Murray on four occasions.
On
Sept. 19, 2008, Murray sold a .32-caliber
handgun for $400 in Kearny. Murray made the
other gun sales from the auto repair shop
where he worked as a tow truck driver in Chatham,
Glenn’s Automotive and Towing. On October
1, 2008, Murray sold the detective a sawed-off
shotgun, a handgun, hollow point bullets and
shotgun shells for $1,150. On October 8, 2008,
Murray sold the detective an AK 47 assault
rifle, a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, high
capacity magazines loaded for both the AK
47 and the handgun, and shotgun shells for
$1,650.
On October 16, 2008, troopers and ATF agents
arrested Murray at his place of employment,
after he delivered to the detective an AK
47 assault rifle, two handguns, and a bag
of ammunition, which he had agreed to sell
for $2,500.
During
the purchases at the auto repair shop, the
undercover detective saw Murray grind the
serial numbers off each weapon. At one meeting,
Murray sawed off the barrel of a shotgun.
All of the weapons sold came fully loaded
with additional ammunition supplied to the
undercover detective.
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