Taneytown Man Pleads Guilty To Illegal Gun Possession And Burning A Witness' Car
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A 40-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of illegal possession of firearms and witness retaliation.
Jason Kiser, of Taneytown, Md., admitted he burned the vehicle of an individual in retaliation to that person telling police about Kiser's illegal firearm possession.
According to his plea agreement, on May 8, 2018, Kiser went to a gunsmithing store in Taneytown located in a building next to the owner's home.
The store was in the process of moving to a new location on West Baltimore Street in Taneytown.
Kiser asked the owner if he could take the parts from a firearm that Kiser had brought into the store with him, and put them on a stripped receiver that Kiser planned to get from another store.
The owner of the store knew Kiser and believed he had previously been convicted of theft of a motor vehicle and possibly other crimes, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On May 9, 2018, an ATF investigator conducted a compliance check at the gunsmithing store and the owner told the investigator of Kiser's request.
Kiser arrived two days later at the gunsmithing store's new location and gave the owner an AR-556 rifle, a PWA, Model Commando receiver, and a Model A-15 receiver. He asked the owner to place a forward grip on the AR-556 rifle and take the parts off of the PWA Commando and place them on the A-15 receiver.
In coordination with investigators, on May 11, 2018, the owner told Kiser that the firearms were ready.
When Kiser walked toward the store to get them, police arrested Kiser.
The owner was identified as a witness in the case, and on July 17, the owner saw his car on fire.
DNA evidence recovered matched Kiser's DNA.
Kiser and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Kiser will be sentenced to between eight and 10 years in prison.
His sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. Kiser remains detained.
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