A man from Boyertown, Pennsylvania, has been identified as a key player in a large-scale illegal gun trafficking ring that spanned eight counties in the state. The operation involved the manufacturing and selling of 3D-printed ghost guns, untraceable firearms with no serial numbers.
Lucas Groff, 28, was identified as the 3D printing expert in the operation, which was primarily based in the Pottstown, Montgomery County area. The ring was exposed following a stabbing incident in Birdsboro earlier this year, which led investigators to the group.
"This organization was set up to make rapid killing machines," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry.
The suspects bought 31 firearms from gun stores throughout Pennsylvania and used a 3D-printing lab to create suppressors or silencers. They also sold devices that transformed semi-automatic firearms into automatic machine guns.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said, "By illegally buying and selling store-bought firearms, this gun trafficking organization was arming criminals...So now we have ‘silent machine guns’ in our communities, some without serial numbers. The risk to community members and law enforcement officials across Montgomery County, across the Commonwealth and across the United States is simply unmeasurable.”
Nine men, including Groff, have been arrested and face various charges, including illegal sale of firearms, prohibited offensive weapons, and criminal conspiracy. The suspects are being held in Montgomery County.