A Temple Hills, Maryland, man was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for crimes related to trafficking “ghost” guns.
The District of Maryland United States Attorney’s Office said in a statement Friday that Marcus Gray, 32, pleaded guilty to selling firearms with no serial numbers on the frame, making them difficult for law enforcement to track if they are used in a crime.
According to Gray’s plea arrangement, in November 2019, a buyer contacted Art J. Vincent, 43, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, about buying a firearm that didn’t have a serial number. Vincent provided the pricing of the guns and referred the buyer to Gray. Gray then called the buyer and discussed the number of guns that were to be sold.
Gray offered the buyer a gun that he could sell immediately for $1,500, and said there were four other pistols for sale that similarly did not have serial numbers for $850 each. Each of the firearms came with an extended magazine.
Gray also discussed the benefits of ghost guns, telling the buyer that they were harder for law enforcement to track.
The buyer and Gray planned to meet at Vincent’s residence in Maryland, and Vincent and the buyer discussed the logistics of the sale. The buyer also said he was buying the gun for another person, and that the second buyer would buy more firearms at a later date.
According to the Attorney’s Office, law enforcement saw Gray and the buyer completing the sale in a residential parking lot.
The buyer then asked to purchase an additional firearm from Gray for the second buyer. About two weeks later, Gray texted “it’s ready” with a picture of the ghost pistol with an extended magazine. The buyer gave Gray an address in D.C. to complete the sale.
Vincent was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his involvement in the sales on March 18, 2021.
Gray received 42 months in federal prison.
