Atlantic County Man Charged with Possessing Unregistered Machineguns and Other Items

CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was charged today with possessing unregistered machineguns and other items, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Michael John James, 30, of Somers Point, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possessing unregistered machineguns and other firearms, as defined under the National Firearms Act. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court and was detained.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In February 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel intercepted two packages that contained suspected controlled substances and were addressed to James’ residence. On Feb. 27, 2024, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the packages, observed James bring the packages into his residence, and executed a search warrant at the residence, where they recovered dozens of firearms and ballistics items. Among the recovered items were three operable machine guns, an operable weapon modified to be shorter than a standard rifle, an operable weapon modified to be shorter than a standard shotgun, and three silencers.

The possession of an unregistered machinegun or other firearm, as defined under the National Firearms Act, charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; personnel from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; and officers of the Somers Point Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert C. Somers, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.