New Jersey man admits selling 33 firearms illegally

NEWARK, N.J. — A Hudson County man admitted Tuesday to selling 33 firearms to a confidential informant. The guilty plea follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jersey City Police Department.

Bernardo Guzman, 27, of Jersey City pleaded guilty to one count of possessing firearms while being a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents, Guzman admitted that on Nov. 14, 2013, he met with an individual in the parking lot of a grocery store in Fort Lee, New Jersey, to illegally sell three handguns. Guzman also admitted that from June 2013 through February 2014, he sold approximately 33 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition to a confidential informant. The firearms sold by Guzman consisted of semiautomatic weapons, sawed-off shotguns, assault-style rifles and firearms with high-capacity magazines. Some of the firearms had obliterated serial numbers. All of the weapons and ammunition are now in the custody of law enforcement.

The charge to which Guzman pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2015.