DOJ Indicts Maryland Sheriff and Gun Dealer in Illegal Machine Gun Acquisition Scheme

Frederick County Sheriff Charles Austin Jenkins and firearms dealer Robert Justin Krop have been indicted on charges of conspiracy and false statements to acquire machine guns, as well as illegal possession of seven machine guns. The two allegedly conspired to unlawfully purchase machine guns by falsifying documents on the sheriff’s office letterhead, which requested machine guns for evaluation and demonstration for the office. Instead of using the guns for demonstrations, the pair intended for them to be rented to Krop’s customers to benefit his business. If convicted, the two face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.