Everett, Pa. Man Sentenced for Purchasing and Selling Firearms Stolen from Federal
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Everett, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 40 months in prison followed by three years supervised release after pleading guilty last year to various counts related to firearms stolen from the National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction Branch (NFAD), United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Richard Adam Schreiber, 38, of Everett, Pa.
"No one can measure the harm Richard Schreiber caused by putting massive numbers of guns in criminals’ hands." said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Through this sentence, he will have time to reflect on his shameful disregard for the safety of our community in exchange for personal financial gain."
"The illegal distribution of firearms presents a great danger to the general public, which ATF takes very seriously," said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. "For a multitude of reasons, when an individual is engaged in the business of selling firearms without being properly licensed, these firearms often times end up in the hands of criminals. ATF has a zero tolerance policy for this type of behavior, and today’s sentencing affirms our stance."
According to information provided to the court, between August 30, 2016 and March 4, 2019, Schreiber purchased multiple stolen firearms, firearm components and ammunition from Christopher Lee Yates. Yates was an employee of Allied Security and worked at NFAD, which was a facility used by ATF and other law enforcement agencies to have firearms and ammunition destroyed. The firearms at NFAD had been seized during criminal investigations or were retired by the agencies. The investigation by ATF began in February of 2019 when a firearm was seized in Philadelphia with different serial numbers, one of which was for a "slide" or firearm component that had purportedly been destroyed at NFAD. ATF learned that Yates stole in excess of five machineguns, 115 pistols and/or revolvers, 3,000 slides and ammunition. Schreiber then sold the firearms and components over the internet from his residence in Everett, Pa. During the investigation, ATF Agents seized nine firearms from Yates, including a machinegun stolen from NFAD and an additional 11 firearms and rifles from individuals to whom Yates had sold the stolen weapons. ATF Agents also seized 99 firearms, 1,352 slides and 123,229 rounds of ammunition from Schreiber and an additional 28 firearms, including three machineguns, from individuals to whom Schreiber had sold the stolen weapons. Yates was charged with similar offenses in the Northern District of West Virginia and was sentenced in August 2019 to 14 years (168 months) in prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Schreiber.
Anyone with information regarding the location of these firearms, firearms parts, ammunition and/or persons who unknowingly purchased one or more of these items should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS, email ATFTips@atf.gov; through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips; or through the ReportIt ® app, www.reportit.com, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
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