Monadnock Ledger-Transcript – Jaffrey man pleads guilty to weapons charges

A Jaffrey man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to possessing machine guns and silencers that were not registered to him under the National Firearms Act.

According to the announcement from the office of U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, Luke Czekalski, 38, pleaded guilty to possessing firearms that were not registered to him in the National Gun Registration and Transfer Registry. fire.

According to Young's office, in November 2022, New Hampshire state parole agents made an unannounced visit to Czekalski's residence in Jaffrey. Czekalski was on parole following his release for a prior felony conviction. As parole officers conducted their searches, they located several bins in the basement containing firearms, ammunition, loaded magazines, body armor and other miscellaneous items.

The Jaffrey Police Department then provided additional assistance, according to Young's office, leading to the seizure of eight homemade firearms and five homemade silencers in addition to an assortment of firearm ammunition. Three of the firearms displayed fully automatic firing capabilities during test firing, making them machine guns under federal law.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for September 23. The charging statute provides for a maximum prison term of 10 years, three years of supervised release and a fine of $10,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Jaffrey Police Department conducted the investigation. The New Hampshire Department of Corrections Field Services Division and the New Hampshire Forensic Laboratory provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.