Two area men pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal firearms violations involving the possession and attempted sale of a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney John M. Bales said Colten David Barrow, 22, of Quinlan and Craig Marcus Cooper, 42, of Farmersville each pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love in Tyler.
Barrow pleaded guilty to attempting to sell a machine gun and Cooper pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a machine gun.
According to the announcement, on Jan. 31, 2012, Barrow and Cooper traveled together to Duke’s Truck Stop on Highway 64 in Van Zandt County to meet an individual interested in buying the machine gun.
The defendants intended to sell the firearm to the individual for $10,000. However, the buyer was actually an undercover federal agent. The defendants were arrested at the scene and the 9 mm, fully automatic machine gun with an attached silencer was seized.
Further investigation revealed Cooper was a felon having been previously convicted of felony criminal mischief in Collin County in 2011. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 27, charging the defendants with firearms violations.
Barrow and Cooper each face up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set. A third defendant is awaiting trial.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.