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On August 24, 2023, a federal jury in Portland found a convicted felon from Salem, Oregon guilty of illegally transferring a machine gun.
Daniel Matthew Kittson, 61, was convicted of one count of illegally transferring a machine gun. He was found not guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in December 2019, a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that an individual, later identified as Kittson, possessed and was attempting to sell a Russian PPSh-41, a machine gun capable of firing approximately 900 rounds per minute. After identifying Kittson, investigators learned that he had prior felony convictions for attempted murder, first degree manslaughter, and felon in possession of a weapon, making it illegal for him to possess any type of firearm.
In early January 2020, investigators communicated with Kittson on two separate occasions to arrange a controlled purchase of the machine gun and, on January 10, 2020, completed the transaction. Following their purchase, investigators tested the firearm and confirmed that it was indeed a functional machine gun.
On March 9, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Kittson with illegally possessing and transferring a machine gun and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On May 28, 2021, Kittson was arrested without incident by the U.S. Marshals Service and was released following his first appearance in federal court. In June 2022, Kittson absconded his pretrial supervision. Three months later, on September 27, 2022, he was located and arrested in Crook County, Oregon in possession of a firearm and small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin.
Illegally transferring a machine gun is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
Kittson will be sentenced in December 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut.
Source: U.S. Attorney for Oregon