U.S. Department of Justice officials say a 60-year-old southern Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to illegally shipping gun parts across the globe.
The Boston Globe reports a 32-count indictment handed down last year charged David Maricola with conspiracy, exporting gun components, making false statements on customs forms and money laundering.
Federal authorities say Maricola and a 32-year-old Finish citizen exported over $100,000 worth of parts for assault rifles, pistols and submachine guns to 22 countries between November 2010 and March 2012.
The Southbridge man sent the items to Finland, where his co-conspirator would then sell them to criminal organizations overseas.
Prosecutors say Maricola mislabeled customs forms when shipping the parts to say that they were for pellet guns, replica firearms or "aluminum sculptures."
Maricola will be sentenced June 30.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Shipping Gun Parts Globally
Federal authorities say Maricola and a 32-year-old Finish citizen exported over $100,000 worth of parts for assault rifles, pistols and submachine guns
Copyright AP - Associated Press
