CAMDEN, N.J. — An Atlantic County man was charged with possessing unregistered machine guns and other items following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark investigation that took place in coordination with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Somers Point Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Newark.
Michael John James, 30, of Somers Point, is charged by complaint with one count of possessing unregistered machine guns and other firearms as defined under the National Firearms Act. He appeared before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Camden and was detained May 15.
“Illegal weapons such as those seized from Michael John James pose a very serious risk to the safety of the American public,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “HSI, along with our partner agencies and prosecutors, are resolved to keep dangerous illegal firearms out of our communities.”
According to the investigation, in February, 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 charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.