Press Release
☷Ocean County Man Admits Illegally Possessing Short Barreled Rifle Silencer and Fake Federal Identification Badges
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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Ocean County Man Admits Illegally Possessing Short - Barreled Rifle , Silencer , and Fake Federal Identification Badges TRENTON , N . J . – An Ocean County , New Jersey , man today admitted unlawfully possessing a privately manufactured short barrel rifle , a silencer , and five imitation badges of various federal agencies , U . S . Attorney Philip R . Sellinger announced . Jeffrey Backlund , 57 , of Waretown , New Jersey , pleaded guilty before U . S . District Judge Peter G . Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with unlawfully possessing firearms that were not registered in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record , and unlawful possession of an official badge or identification card . According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:On Sept . 6 , 2020 , after investigating a domestic disturbance , law enforcement executed a search warrant at Backlund’s residence and located a number of firearms and imitation federal identification badges . They found one short - barreled , AR - style , . 223 caliber rifle bearing no serial number and no branding . Attached to the rifle , they found a tan metal cylindrical device that law enforcement determined to be a silencer . Given the physical characteristics of the rifle and silencer , Backlund was required to , but did not , registered these items in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record pursuant to the National Firearms Act . Law enforcement officers also located two bi - fold wallets containing FBI Special Agent identification credentials bearing Backlund’s picture and personal information , a United States Marshals Service badge , a Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives Special Agent badge , and a Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent badge . All badges and identifications were imitation and Backlund did not have the authority to possess any of them . The charge of possessing firearms not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum fine of $10 , 000; the charge of unlawful possession of an official badge or identification card carries a maximum prison sentence of six months and a maximum fine of $5 , 000 . Sentencing is scheduled for Sept . 13 , 2022 . U . S . Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI , under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark; special agents of the ATF Newark Field Division , under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L . Matthews; special agents of the DEA , under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A . Gibson in Newark; members of the U . S . Marshals Service , under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr . ; detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office , under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D . Billhimer , and officers of the Ocean Township Police Department , under the direction of Chief Michal J . Rogalski , with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea . The government is represented by Assistant U . S . Attorney Martha K . Nye of the Criminal Division in Trenton .
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