U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
Southern District of Ohio

www.justice.gov/usao/ohs

For Immediate Release

February 26, 2009

Zanesville Man Charged With Possessing Illegal Firearms

Machine Guns, Firearms Without Serial Numbers

COLUMBUS — A federal grand jury here has indicted Terry Thompson, age 60, of Zanesville, charging him with possession of illegal firearms, including machine guns and firearms without serial numbers.

Gregory G. Lockhart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Christopher Sadowski, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the indictment returned today.

ATF agents seized the illegal weapons while executing a search warrant of Thompson’s property near Zanesville in June, 2008.

The five-count indictment alleges that Thompson unlawfully possessed five machine guns, failed to register those machine guns, and possessed three firearms without serial numbers. Each count is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. The indictment also contains two counts seeking forfeiture of the firearms.

Lockhart commended the investigation of by ATF agents, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bosley, who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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