Southern Illinois man faces weapons charges, including importing a firearm, feds say
A Harrisburg man has been indicted on six charges alleging he possessed, manufactured and imported unregistered firearms, the U.S Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.
Yaroslav Vishnevski, 31, of Saline County was indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis on Tuesday, according to court records.
Vishnevski faces three counts of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm, one count of manufacturing a National Firearms Act weapon without paying special occupancy tax, one count of illegal importation of a firearm and one count of possession of firearm with an obliterated serial number, federal prosecutors said in a news release.
Neither Vishnevski nor an attorney for him could be reached for comment Wednesday.
“The charges stem from an alleged incident on April 22 in which federal officials intercepted a parcel” en route and addressed to Vishnevski from China containing two firearm silencers, the news release states.
“As alleged in the complaint, law enforcement recovered the two silencers, a rifle with another unregistered silencer attached, three 3D printers, suspected 3D-printed silencers, 3D-printed firearm frames and receivers in different stages of manufacturing and two privately-made, unregistered short-barreled rifles,” according to the release.
One rifle had a barrel of less than 16 inches and it was not registered to him in the National Firearmss Registration and Transfer Record, the indictment alleges. Vishnevski also is accused of having a shotgun with a barrel of less than 18 inches and it was not registered to him, according to the indictment.
The obliterated serial number charge was filed in connection with a 12-gauge shotgun known as an Atlas Arms, model G-Force ON-01, the indictment alleges.
Authorities also are seeking forfeiture of Vishnevski’s 9-millimeter Glock, a PMF AR-9 style rifle, a PMF AR-15 style rifle and a 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors had requested that Vishnevski be detained but U.S. Magistrate Judge Reona J. Daly denied the request and Vishnevski was released on a personal recognizance bond on May 8, according to court records. Vishnevski had been arrested on May 3.
His arraignment is set for June 6 in the federal courthouse in Benton.
“Individuals who produce privately-made firearms must adhere to state and federal laws to register the devices to help ensure responsible ownership,” U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe said in a statement.
