Snohomish County Resident Convicted of Violating the Arms Export Control Act and Three Federal Firearms Laws

          A 35-year-old resident of Tulalip, Washington was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle on four federal felonies related to illegal gun possession and trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  HANY VELETANLIC, a citizen of Bosnia legally residing in the United States, was found guilty of violating the Arms Export Control Act, illegally possessing two unregistered silencers, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.  The jury deliberated nearly three hours following two days of testimony.  U.S. District Judge James L. Robart scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2019.

            According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, in February 2017, Swedish law enforcement seized a part of a Glock firearm from a residence in Fagersta, Sweden.  The serial number on the Glock firearm had been filed off, but Glock Inc. was able to trace the sale of the firearm using a specialized company code imprinted on the part.  The gun had been purchased by a resident of the Seattle area.  When contacted by law enforcement, the resident said he had privately sold the gun to VELETANLIC.  In May 2017, VELETANLIC contacted Homeland Security agents when he learned they had been asking about the firearm.  VELETANLIC told agents about his activity selling firearms on eBay and in direct sales.  After being advised of his Miranda rights, VELETANLIC ultimately admitted shipping packages of firearms overseas – as many as 20 different shipments to two different customer groups in Sweden.  He also shipped gun parts to a person in France.

            In the course of a July 2017 interview with law enforcement, VELETANLIC admitted that the customer in France had shipped him two silencers in exchange for the firearms parts.  VELETANLIC claimed the silencers had been destroyed.  However, when agents received permission to look in VELETANLIC’s gun safe, they found one of the silencers.  The second silencer was turned over by VELETANLIC to agents in August 2017.

            In May 2018, VELETANLIC was arrested on federal charges.  At the time of his arrest he was carrying a Ruger pistol with an obliterated serial number.  VELETANLIC admitted the weapon had an obliterated serial number because it had been stolen.

            Violating the Arms Export Control Act is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  Possession of as unregistered firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison.  Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number is punishable by up to five years in prison.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.  The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Swedish National Police.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Diggs and Marie Dalton.