NJ Man Admits to Unlawfully Possessing a Machine Gun

A man from Monmouth County admitted in court Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to unlawfully possessing a machine gun.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito says 30-year-old Davon Harley of Neptune pleaded guilty by video conference before a judge to an indictment charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun.

According to documents filed and statements made in court,

In February 2020, a Neptune City Police officer confronted Harley, a previously convicted felon, who was arguing with others in the yard of an apartment complex. Harley fled through the apartment complex into neighboring properties and discarded a handgun that, upon inspection, had been altered to fire exclusively in fully automatic mode. The weapon had a magazine capable of holding 31 rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement officers, assisted by the Neptune Township and Asbury Park police departments, located Harley and the machinegun and magazine that Harley had discarded. The magazine contained 22 rounds of ammunition.

The felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Numerous federal, county, and local police departments assisted in this case.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 12th.